Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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649. To ask the Minister for Health when the special review group on devising an alternative scheme to the mobility allowance will deliver a report; the persons who are on this group; the criteria used to appoint them; their terms of reference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18830/13]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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663. To ask the Minister for Health if he will update Dáil Éireann on plans for a proposed new allowance form for transport grants [22710/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 649 and 663 together.

A Project Group, which is independently chaired by a former Civil Servant, has been established to seek an alternative method to provide for the priority transport needs of people in a manner that does not run counter to the Equal Status Acts. The work of the Project Group is being supported by the National Disability Authority and includes representatives from key disability sector organisations such as the Irish Wheelchair Association, the Disability Federation of Ireland, the Centre for Independent Living, along with an independent service user and advocate for people with disabilities and a former County Council Manager with relevant experience. Both Minister Reilly and myself have instructed the Project Group to seek solutions across the whole of Government, so that alongside representatives from the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE), membership also includes representatives from Pobal and from the Departments of Transport, Tourism & Sport, Environment, Community and Local Government, Social Protection and Finance and the Revenue Commissioners.

The terms of reference are as follows:

- Examine the policy objectives which underpinned the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant schemes, in particular in the context of current Government policy on mainstreaming of services for people with disabilities and the recommendations of the Ombudsman;

- Analyse the circumstances of those who have been benefitting from the schemes, in terms of how the schemes have addressed their transport and mobility needs, in particular as regards their independence and access to employment opportunities;

- Undertake consultation with the disability and other sectors, to ascertain views on how best to prioritise the transport/mobility needs of all those with physical, sensory, intellectual and mental health difficulties within available resources currently assigned to the schemes;

- Review other transport/mobility supports provided by the HSE or other public or voluntary sector agencies to persons with mobility needs;

- Attempt to quantify the gaps in existing services for people with mobility needs, and, together with the foregoing, devise the most efficient solution to deliver supports to those most in need, within current resources and making best use of transport supports already available;

- Make appropriate recommendations to the Minister and the Minister of State by 31st May 2013 on a solution or solutions to address priority mobility needs arising from the abolition of the Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant schemes; and

- Following the specific first phase of the work of the group on Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant schemes led by the Department of Health, continue under the leadership of the most appropriate Government Department to examine how best to address transport needs of persons with disabilities.

The Group, who will report to Government by the end of this month, has met six times, with the next meeting scheduled for 22nd May. The results of the review will be presented to the Government before any final decisions are made on future arrangements. At this stage, I am not in a position to pre-empt the outcome of the review or the decision of Government.