Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was interested in the Deputy's comments at the weekend that when one disagrees with something, one always proposes an alternative. I will be interested to hear what he has to say about that. The Deputy has a brass neck to make a political football out of an issue which is very serious for the people concerned. He sat on these benches and reduced the blind person's allowance not once but twice, he cut the mobility allowance and the carer's allowance and the carer's benefit and he removed the Christmas payment, which amounted to a cut of 10%.

I thank the Ombudsman for the work she did in identifying and clarifying that these two schemes - the motorised transport grant and the mobility allowance - are illegal, do not conform with the Disability Act, the Equal Status Act and the Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann. We cannot stand over schemes which are obsolete, unfair, discriminatory and do not conform with those Acts and, therefore, we must deal with this. That is why the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, over the past while have involved themselves in exhaustive discussions on this. These schemes have proved not to be in compliance with the legislation I mentioned.

The moneys allocated - more than €10 million - will not be withdrawn. They are being ring-fenced for payment to people under a scheme which is in compliance with the Acts. That is why the Government is closing these schemes for new applicants. They are illegal, discriminatory, not inclusive and not comprehensive. We have appointed Ms Sylda Langford to work with the disability groups and the groups involved to expand the remit of those involved in dealing with this to health, transport, environment and Revenue and to come back with a new scheme which is in compliance with those Acts so the moneys already allocated on a full year basis can be paid to persons eligible for receipt of the payment.

When introduced in 1970 by circular from the Department of Health, the criteria were that a person would not be able to walk for more than 15 minutes, exertion would be a damage to his or her health and that he or she needed a change of scenery. Those criterion are completely obsolete. The definition of disability has changed completely. The capacity of various schemes to deliver an inclusive transport mobility scheme has changed completely and it is for that reason we cannot continue with a situation which is illegal and outside the scope of the Equal Status Act, the Disability Act and the Constitution. We must deal with this in a fair, equitable and comprehensive way. The moneys allocated will continue to be allocated and those people who are in receipt of that payment will continue to receive it for the next four months.

The Deputy will be aware that the motor companies now guarantee vehicles for five or seven years. The current roll-over is three years for persons who have severe disabilities and need adapted motor vehicles. We want to be able to continue that so we must devise a new scheme, taking into account the broader capacity of what is happening now. The moneys allocated will remain allocated.

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