Sir, – In the article "Polio survivors threaten 'campaign of protest' against Rehab" (News, October 14th), a Rehab spokeswoman is quoted as saying that Rehab has no legal obligation to provide funding to Polio Survivors Ireland. "We believe it would be inappropriate for us to use our funding to grant-aid another charity."
Nobody has claimed that Rehab Group has a legal obligation to provide funding to the organisation Polio Survivors Ireland or any other charity.
As we have reiterated on many occasions to the Rehab Group, its obligation is to provide services, supports or funding to people with disabilities arising from polio. Rehab has considerable assets that it acquired as a result of the fundraising efforts of polio survivors. These assets are held by Rehab Group as a result of their ownership of the Polio Fellowship of Ireland. The Polio Fellowship of Ireland’s constitution states quite clearly that its purpose is to help people affected by polio yet Rehab is not providing any support whatsoever to polio survivors.
The Rehab Group needs to explain how it will discharge its responsibilities to people with disabilities arising from polio. – Yours, etc,
SUSAN DOWLING,
Justice for Polio Survivors,
Castlewarren,
Co Kilkenny.