Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is appropriate to condemn the major incident yesterday involving a prisoner from Portlaoise Prison who violently attacked two prison officers while attending a hospital appointment and subsequently escaped. Can the Taoiseach confirm that every support will be given to those prison officers and that they will receive full payment while unable to work and while they recover from this horrific incident? Will the Taoiseach also confirm there will be a review of the procedures for prisoners with a history of violence and how they are assisted with hospital visits? This person was a well known violent criminal. He has a history of violence and on his last two visits he was accompanied by armed officers. In this context, when will the Garda Síochána (compensation for malicious injuries) Bill be published?

On promised legislation, will the Taoiseach inform the House of the outcome of the deliberations of the group that was set up to examine the motorised transport grant and mobility allowance? This involves some 5,000 people and was promised two years ago. In a reply from the Minister of State at the Department of Health, it was stated that the Government decided from the preparatory work that this required a new travel subsidy scheme and that the associated statutory provision should be progressed by the Minister for Health. Legislation was promised in the reply, which stated that once a policy proposal had been finalised and approved, the timeframe for the introduction of a new scheme would become clear. The response is a masterpiece in departmental speak, but I seek clarity on the issue.

When will the legislation dealing with this matter, which has been ongoing for some time now, be published? We need certainty for those in receipt of the allowances.

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