Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to be here. I will have to feel my way as I go. I thank the representatives of the DDAI and Family Carers Ireland, FCI, for their presentations. I come across this issue regularly in my constituency and in other areas. I remember there being issues with the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant as far back as the time when I was a councillor for 12 or 13 years, starting in 1999. I also remember chasing the mobility grant and being able to get taxis for some people to and from places. A recent case I dealt with involved questioning the HSE on transport. The response stated that there was an ongoing issue for some individuals in assessing HSE-funded day services and rehabilitation training programmes. Furthermore, it stated that no resources were allocated for the provision of transport to new or returning entrants. This is a ridiculous situation. Doing away with the mobility grant was a disaster. We would like to see it reinstated in some form.

We constantly come across issues when it comes to transport. Every stop should be pulled out to help people with disabilities. There should be no barriers to how we help people and it does not matter what the disability is. When it comes to severe disabilities, the witnesses outlined that it is possible to avail of the present grant. It is different for anyone outside that context.

It is a whole battle to get any sort of grant. What happens when the vehicles reach a certain age and must undergo the national car test, NCT? If vehicles have to go after four years or three years to undergo the NCT, what way does that work? Do people get help with that? Is any help available in that regard? What amount of grant is available at the moment if a person is applying for a grant for someone? The witnesses mentioned family members or otherwise. There seems to be restrictions in terms of family members, which I find a bit difficult. Only recently, my sister bought a disabled vehicle and had to pay for it because the whole process was too messy. She gets a certain amount back but it did end up costing her a substantial amount of money. People with disabilities are on, in many cases, €208 or whatever it is. It is not even enough to get by on. With inflation the way it is, obviously, that is a massive thing.

I also want to ask about Vantastic. I recall having made loads of arguments in the past about Vantastic but it does not take people to, say, day centres. Is there a role in which Vantastic can be utilised or funded better in a way that it could fill a gap by taking people to and from appointments or otherwise? I am just not sure what the position is.

I was taken by the fact that once artists who have disabilities earn more than €140, they are penalised in whatever State payment they receive, which I find really hard to understand. They should be given the security of having a payment that is not touched in order that they can get on with whatever they are trying to do or whatever type of work they are doing. Penalising them like that is absolutely wrong.