| Undercover ace in Ulster charity drive |
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TV's MacIntyre is helping Mencap Leading investigative journalist Donal MacIntyre spoke today of the personal reasons why he has signed up as a champion for people with learning disabilities in Northern Ireland. The broadcaster is due to visit Carrickfergus today to act as guest speaker at a Mencap conference which is exploring the theme of 'equal chances for all'. The 39-year-old, who is a patron of the charity alongside the likes of Will Young, Jo Wylie and Lisa Scott Lee, took up the role after seeing first-hand the ill-treatment vulnerable people can be exposed to when he went undercover to investigate abuse in care homes. The research, carried out as part of his hard-hitting MacIntyre Undercover series, brought a national spotlight on the shocking neglect people with learning disabilities can be subjected to. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Donal said Mencap's cause was also close to his heart because he has an aunt who suffers from learning disabilities. He said he was honoured to highlight the issues through his journalism. "I'm a journalist so I can act as a barometer. I carry with me a certain independence - I can challenge ministers and be bolshie. "It's part of the same continuum, focusing on improving life for those that are vulnerable." Donal spoke of disgust at how vulnerable people can be treated because they are seen as easy targets. "It is always the people at the bottom of the pyramid who get kicked most," he added. "As a journalist, I'm aware of these issues and it's great to be in a position where I can stick up for the underdog. "I'm happy to go out there and take the brickbats from snide and sneering people. It's a privilege. And it means so much more to me to have seen the problems that can arise first hand." Donal has a long standing interest in welfare issues related to care homes for the elderly and the learning disabled - issues which have features in many of his documentaries. He will be drawing on those experiences when he addresses delegates at the Quality Inn Hotel today. Maureen Piggot, director of Mencap in Northern Ireland, paid tribute to Donal's work. "Donal has shown time and time again his tireless commitment to Mencap through his fundraising activities and his work in raising awareness of learning disability issues," she said.
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