Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In her opening statement, Dr. Lajoie spoke about an applicant having to qualify and meet six very restrictive criteria and gave the example of a client with COPD who used a wheelchair, was on oxygen and unable to walk unaided and was denied a primary medical certificate with her appeal denied on the grounds that she had use of her legs. That woman would not even be able to make an appeal today because the board has resigned en masse because of the inaction of the Minister and Government. It is a shocking exclusion. I do not think I have ever met anybody who is not generous or does not believe we need to do more for people with disabilities yet governments have allowed nine years to pass without any new scheme being brought forward to replace the one that was suspended. An entire board has now resigned, which I assume is not a simple decision, because it believes the Minister has not done enough or is not speedy enough. Based on the Money Advice & Budgeting Service's understanding of its clients, are we seeing people like this individual, who is in a wheelchair and does not have access to transport? I assume some people will make cuts elsewhere because it is such an important thing. If there is a family there, people will rally round because the public and families are good. How can anybody live with this situation where you cannot go outside your home because you do not have a car that is wheelchair-equipped? Are people in this situation in 2022? Are they grounded? Are they prisoners in their own homes to a certain degree because they cannot afford to do these modifications themselves and do not have the grants that used to be there in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s? I find it bizarre.