Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To correct Deputy Shortall on what she said a moment ago, the answer that I provided to the House stated that, to qualify for this scheme, an applicant has to satisfy one of a range of conditions which are laid out. It is an important scheme that is made available by the State to support those who need additional help due to the level of need in their lives. In response to the points made by Deputies, I note the Minister for Health has started work on looking at a new transport support scheme and what kind of legal provisions would need to be in place to support that. This is looking at the fact that there is a broader range of needs and disabilities beyond those that I have outlined that make it difficult for applicants and citizens to commute and conduct their daily lives. Work on that is under way and the Minister for Health is looking at legislation that might play a role in that area. We have to ensure, if we are going to put in place a new scheme such as this, that not only does it meet needs that we know to be genuine but that it is also transparent and one in which the resources available from the taxpayer are targeted in a way that can make a real difference.

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