Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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1194. To ask the Minister for Health the status of progress on the proposed transport support scheme that is due to replace the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grant, which both ceased to exist in February 2013; when the scheme will be finalised; if he plans to work with the Departments of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Transport, Tourism and Sport to finalise the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15494/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Two schemes, the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant, were put in place in 1979 and 1968 respectively, for operation by the Health Service Executive (HSE) at a time when there was limited availability of accessible public transport. The Government decided to close these administrative schemes in 2013, on foot of the reports of the Ombudsman in 2011 and 2012 regarding the legal status of both Schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts.

On foot of the 2013 recommendations of the Interdepartmental Group, which was chaired by the Department of An Taoiseach, the Government decided that the Minister for Health, in consultation with other relevant Ministers, would progress preparatory work for a new statutory scheme to provide individual payments to people with severe disabilities who require additional income to address the costs of their mobility needs. The Interdepartmental Group met eight times between June and September that year.

In 2013, the Government also decided to continue payment of the monthly Mobility Allowance on an interim basis, to those who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance at the time that the Scheme closed. Of the 4,700 individuals in receipt of the Mobility Allowance (€9 million per annum) when the Scheme closed in 2013, there were 3,831 people in receipt of the interim payments at July 2019.

Other transport supports available to persons with disabilities in the State include the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers scheme, operated by the Revenue Commissioners; the Free Travel Scheme operated by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection; and CLÁR funding, approved by the then Minister for Rural and Community Development, to voluntary organisations providing transport for people with significant mobility issues.

At the whole of Government level, the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 sets the overall framework for the equal participation of people with disabilities in society. Monitoring of the implementation of the Strategy is being overseen by the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group which comprises key Government Departments, the National Disability Authority and the Disability Stakeholders Group.

Under the Strategy, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has responsibility for the continued development of accessibility and availability of accessible public transport and is committed to the continued development of accessible public transport in recognition of the importance of such services to the lives of people with disabilities.

Recent developments which will impact on policy options regarding the provision of transport supports for people with a disability include the following:

The ongoing progress by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in providing accessible public transport nationally and that Department's public consultation launched on 14 November last, to review active travel and public transport policy, including accessible public transport;

The Cost of Disability Study currently underway which was commissioned by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection as part of Budget 2019. The research, when complete, will inform policy direction in relation to the provision of adequate supports to meet the needs of people with disabilities, including transport costs; and

The Working Group established under Action 104 of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy by the Department of Justice and Equality which states that:- "We will lead a review of transport supports encompassing all Government funded transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities, to enhance the options for transport to work or employment supports for people with disabilities and will develop proposals for development of a coordinated plan for such provision. This plan will have regard to making the most efficient use of available transport resources.”