Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the estimated annual cost and number of recipients of the mobility allowance scheme in each of 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012 if the upper age limit of 66 years for eligibility for the allowance were to be in practice abolished. [56464/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Department accepts that significant issues have been raised by the Ombudsman in relation to the Mobility Allowance, the Motorised Transport Grant and the Equal Status Acts in relation to age limits and the definition of disability. The Department’s policy objective remains to ensure that all schemes meet the requirements of the Equal Status Acts while endeavouring to make sure that those who currently receive the allowance/grant, and rely on it, are protected as far as possible.

The Ombudsman recommended that the Department should remove the upper age limit in the circular governing the Mobility Allowance.

There are a lot of difficulties in estimating the possible costs in removing the upper age limit. Accurate figures in relation to the number of people over 65 years of age who have a “severe disability” and are “unable to walk” are limited. In addition it is difficult to ascertain the number of those over 65 years of age who would fail the means test.Indicative possible costs using data from the National Disability Survey (upwards of 59,000 people over the age of 65 have either a lot of difficulty in walking for 15 minutes or could not do it at all and therefore could be eligible for the mobility allowance as currently constituted) indicates that at a yearly rate of €2,502 the total cost of removing the upper age limit could be an additional €148m per annum. Even though those failing the means test could reduce the number of people over 65 years of age eligible for the allowance, should the definition of disability be expanded to include people with a disability other than a mobility difficulty (e.g. mental health/intellectual) then the number of people over 65 years of age eligible could increase further. Therefore, while it is difficult to predict, taking the various factors into account, the possible additional cost could, at least, be in excess of €100m.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide by year for 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012, the volume and value of settlements under the mobility allowance scheme pursuant to discrimination actions on the grounds the allowance was in practice subject to an upper age limit of 66 years. [56465/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Department has sought the information requested by the Deputy from the Health Service Executive. The Department will forward the information when it is received.