Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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412. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grant in view of the project review group interim report; the recommendations in the report; if he will provide an update on plans to replace these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43228/13]

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 Health Service Executive 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 the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant to support their independence and will take all of this into consideration when making a decision on future arrangements.