Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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3083. To ask the Minister for Health if he will reconsider the daily transport charge being charged to service users attending HSE day services in counties Sligo and Leitrim; the reason service users cannot use their free travel passes on this service; if this charge is levied throughout all other CHO areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40219/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Health and the HSE provide specialist disability services, including Day Services and Rehabilitative Training, to people with disabilities who require such services. Transport is not considered a core Health service and as such Day Service funding does not include transport.

Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO 1) works with Local Link to provide a co-ordinated and efficient transport service, for all service users going to day services operated or funded by the HSE. The HSE pays 90% of the costs of this day service transport, with the remainder funded through passenger fares. The HSE has no remit to provide transport but recognises that service users living in rural areas would not be able to access services without transport supports.

As this specific transport service is deemed a closed service (i.e. not open to the general public but for HSE service users only), travel passes are not accepted. Service users who are using a public "open" Local Link bus route to get to their day service, can use their free bus pass.

The charge collected on these 'closed' routes contributes to overall improvements in service delivery including increased number of routes, shorter journey times and improvement in quality of vehicles used.

The HSE service provided is:

- Safe and of the highest quality providing door to door transport for people attending HSE funded services, including assigned designated Garda vetted drivers per service so that relationships and trust are developed between passenger and driver

- fully accessible

- best value for money

- co-ordinated and managed in a professional manner by people who have expertise in transport provision

- reviewed continuously to ensure shorter passenger journey times.

This partnership with transport providers commenced in Sligo and Leitrim in 2012, and has since been extended to all counties in the CHO1 area.