Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to provide speech and language therapy and upgraded physiotherapy services for children and adults in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21529/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, an additional sum of €75m for revenue purposes was provided to the Health Service Executive for Disability Services in the 2007 Budget. This sum incorporates the 2007 element of the Government's multi-annual investment programme for the National Disability Strategy. This Strategy is committed to enhancing the level and range of multi-disciplinary support services to adults and children with an intellectual, physical and sensory disability and those with autism.

The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if it is intended to extend the availability and scale of the mobility allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21530/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The mobility allowance is a monthly payment administered by the Health Service Executive, which provides financial support to severely disabled 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.

To be eligible to receive the mobility allowance applicants must satisfy the following conditions: be over 16 years and under 66 years — however, an allowance, once granted, will be continued after the age of 66 as long as the other criteria for eligibility are met. I currently have no proposals to amend this scheme.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the degree to which funding will be improved for personal assistants providing services to the elderly and persons with special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21534/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.