Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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536. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to discontinue the mobility allowance payment; the length of time for which he intends to extend the scheme; the alternatives that are being discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39411/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Government decided in June last that new statutory provisions should be established to provide individual payments to people with severe disabilities who require additional income to address the costs of their mobility needs. An inter-departmental group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, is working to develop detailed proposals for the operation of a new statutory scheme and is due to report back to Government in October.

The Government also decided in June that payments should temporarily continue to be made by the HSE to those persons currently in receipt of the Mobility Allowance for a further number of months, pending the commencement of new statutory provisions, on the basis that this would prevent hardship, and, on an interim basis, alleviate stress, anxiety and uncertainty among a vulnerable group in society.

The Government is very conscious of the needs of people with a disability who have relied on individual payments of Mobility Allowance to support their independence and will take all of this into consideration when making a decision on future arrangements.