Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Is the Minister of State saying that we need to change the legislation and, if so, what part can he play in changing it? I appreciate the role of the Department of Finance but we need to get to the bottom of this. If legislation needs to be changed we need to bring that forward. My party will prepare that if it is necessary but I would appreciate the Minister of State's guidance on that. The Minister for Finance's sympathy is of no use in trying to get sick and disabled people to a Galway or Dublin hospital from Mayo. All the sympathy in the world will not do that. We need him to act.

How many appeals have been received by Dún Laoghaire in the past 12 months and how many decisions have been overturned in favour of the applicant? I appreciate it will take some time for the Minister of State to get that information. Time and again people go to Dún Laoghaire and are dismissed. The people who have appealed at the end of the six-month time limit ask what is the point in dragging a sick child all the way to Dún Laoghaire again to be refused. When will the heads of the motorisation grant Bill be produced? Will that be before Christmas and how long after that will it be before a decision is made to make that grant available again?