A group calling itself the Independent Health Alliance has announced that it will be fielding eight candidates in the forthcoming general election. The group will be campaigning on a broad range of health issues, including rights for the disabled, sick and elderly, as well as more support for carers.
Five of the alliance candidates will be standing in the Dublin area. Three others will stand in Kerry North, Limerick and Laois-Offaly. The candidates include disabled people and parents of disabled children.
They have cited Kathryn Sinnott as an inspiration. Ms Sinnott had fought for the State to provide life-long primary education for her 23-year-old autistic son. Ms Sinnott has backed the group, but she has not yet decided whether to run as a candidate because of a lack of support at home.
The Alliance says that it is serious in its campaign, and the issue of health has been shown in successive opinion polls to be the number one priority with the electorate. It says that its campaign may be run on a shoestring budget with no glossy brochures but it remains confident it is in with a good chance.
This morning, its candidates criticised the present Government and the political establishment in general, for the "utter contempt in the halls of power towards the disabled".
