Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 255: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if assistance will be given to the family of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick with a disability in obtaining the maximum support, advice and funding in order to ease the cost of adapting her car; and if this person's transport needs will be met for the future. [24519/04]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy may be aware that my Department holds responsibility for the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grant. The mobility allowance is payable by the health boards, subject to a means test, to persons with a severe disability. Applicants must be 16 years or older and under 66 years. The allowance provides financial support to eligible people who are unable to walk or use public transport and is intended to enable them to benefit from a change in surroundings — for example, by financing the occasional taxi journey.

Eligible persons must reside at home or in any long-stay facility. Such eligible persons can continue to receive payment after he or she reaches the age of 66 provided he or she was receiving the allowance prior to his or her 66th birthday. Persons aged 66 or over who apply are not eligible. The allowance is paid on a monthly basis.

A motorised transport grant, MTG, of up to 75% of the actual cost of purchasing-adapting a car, which takes into account the trade-in value of a car being replaced, may be provided up to a limit of €4,575. Where a person qualifies for both the MTG and the disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme, the MTG grant payable should not exceed the net outlay incurred, taking into account the benefit of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme.

The payment of a motorised transport grant is subject to the condition that the health board will not be called on at any future date to contribute towards the running cost of the vehicle. In this context, a mobility allowance recipient cannot qualify for the motorised transport grant. Similarly, a person who has received the motorised transport grant in the previous three years cannot qualify for the mobility allowance.

The assessment of entitlement to and payment of the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant in any individual case is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards. In this regard, application should be made to the Mid-Western Health Board.