Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health the action he intends to take to address his Department's failure on two occasions to comply with the Equal Status Acts in its administration of the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53809/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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This matter requires further consideration in order to meet the requirements of the Equal Status Acts and to ensure no hardship for those currently in receipt of the Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant. The Department is not in a position to amend the circulars relating to the Mobility Allowance or the Motorised Transport Grant as recommended in the Ombudsman's reports. The recommendations, if implemented, would ignore the very serious financial constraints on the Department, the HSE and the State generally. Implementation of the recommendations would create liabilities that the State could not afford.