Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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154. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the Government’s promise to establish a scheme to replace the motorised transport grant and the mobility allowance scheme; when the new scheme will be put in place; his views on whether it is acceptable that a new scheme has yet to be put in place, given the two and half years since the schemes were closed to new applicants; if he is aware of the hardship this is causing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39841/15]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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167. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to restore the disability car purchase scheme. [39922/15]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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174. To ask the Minister for Health when the new mobility scheme will be open to applications. [39992/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 154, 167 and 174 together.

Conscious of the reports of the Ombudsman regarding the legal status of both the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant Schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts, the Government decided to close both schemes on 26th February 2013.

The Government decided that the detailed preparatory work required for a new Transport Support Scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Minister for Health. The Department is seeking a solution which would best meet the aim of supporting people with severe disabilities who require additional income to contribute towards the cost of their mobility needs, while remaining within the available budget and satisfying all legal and equality concerns.

Payments of up to €208.50 per month are continuing to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance at the time the scheme closed. Any proposals put to Government will seek to take account of this group.

Work is ongoing on the policy proposals to be brought to Government for the drafting of primary legislation for a new scheme. The proposals seek to ensure that:

- There is a firm statutory basis to the Scheme's operation;

- There is transparency and equity in the eligibility criteria attaching to the Scheme;

- Resources are targeted at those with the greatest needs; and

- The Scheme is capable of being costed and it is affordable on its introduction and on an ongoing basis.

Heads of Bill have now been developed in draft form and are currently subject to detailed legal examination. The approval of a General Scheme and Heads of Bill by the Government will be followed by publication and pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas Health and Children Committee. The Health (Transport Support) Bill is included in the Government Legislation Programme.