Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Ceann Comhairle and all the members of staff a very happy Christmas. What is the Government currently doing to replace the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grant, which were discontinued for new applicants in 2013? An indication was given at that time that an alternative scheme would be put in place. We are now almost nine years on and that has not happened. It is inequitable because some people who were in receipt of the allowance prior to 2013 are still receiving it, and rightly so, but those who would have been entitled had the scheme not been suspended are not considered for any supports. There is a need for personal transport because not everyone is in a position to access public transport. The disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme needs to be revised because "the limited medical criteria for eligibility ... [are] excessively restrictive". That is a quote from the Ombudsman's recent report, Grounded: Unequal Access for People with Disabilities to Personal Transport Schemes. The report highlights all of these issues. What does the Government plan to do to address these issues and to ensure equality and, indeed, quality of life?

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