Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 11 October 2017
Committee on Public Petitions
Discontinued Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Schemes: Minister of State at the Department of Health
1:30 pm
Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source
The honest answer is "No", because the talks are still going on with DPER. I do not know at this stage. I know what I want to do, but how I get there is a different debate. The bottom line is that I want to ensure that the Bill will cover the maximum number of people. I have a caveat that the most needy people have to be prioritised. If it comes to a decision between getting this legislation in place for a particular amount, or succeeding and getting a little bit or half of it, I will have to make that decision. No one is closing me down yet on the debate. I am pushing for the maximum. I know the maximum figure and I will negotiate with that in mind. When that is finalised we will have some sort of idea. I am not holding back on the figures. I am pushing for the maximum, and I am hoping for a reasonable accommodation. Many Deputies and Senators in the room want to support me for the maximum because they have their own ideas about helping people with disabilities.
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