Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government decided to close the Motorised Transport Grant and Mobility Allowance administrative Schemes in 2013, on foot of the Ombudsman reports in 2011 and 2012 regarding the legal status of both Schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts. Both schemes remain closed. 

Under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2022, the Action 104 Transport Working Group was established in 2020 to make progress on an important cross-Government action to review transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities and to advance proposals for the enhancement of these supports going forward.   As Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, I chaired meetings of the Transport Working Group from January 2022 up to its conclusion in December 2022.

The Group's work has now concluded and the final report was published in February 2023. The Report sets out the contributions made by members for the enhancement of transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities. It is incumbent on all Ministers, Departments and Agencies with responsibility for transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities to consider the recommendations of the Transport Working Group, as I will be giving due consideration to the recommendations in the context of the schemes outlined above, and in the context of the concerns previously and recently raised by the Ombudsman.

The Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport, other than any specialised door-to-door services for people who because of the severity or nature of their disabilities are not able to avail of public transport services.  The National Transport Authority has statutory responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network. The Minister for Transport has indicated that he is fully committed to strengthening public transport and progressively making services accessible for all, especially for people with disabilities, people with reduced mobility and older people.

In addition, the Minister for Transport has indicated that in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Minister and the agencies under his Department are progressively making public transport accessible, including in rural areas, by ensuring that new infrastructure and services are accessible from the start, and retrofitting older infrastructure and facilities to make them accessible. Accessibility features, such as wheelchair accessibility and audio/visual aids, are built into new public transport infrastructure projects and vehicles from the design stage.

I have also been advised that in line with Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the National Transport Authority supports people with a disability to travel independently on the public transport network through initiatives such as the Just a Minute (JAM) Card for anyone with a communications difficulty, and the provision of Disability Awareness Training to public transport staff. Furthermore, the Travel Assist Scheme provides free assistance for people to access public transport or plan public transport journeys in the Greater Dublin Area. In September 2022, the National Transport Authority and Bus Éireann began piloting the rollout of the Travel Assist Scheme in Cork. 

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has been working with the National Transport Authority regarding transport to day services, through the ‘Open Routes’ project. Open Routes is based on the idea that transport to HSE services such as day services would be best served by accessible local public transport such as the Local Link, transporting people to their day services, but also serving the wider local community as well with enhanced public transport provision. The approach is being piloted in Leitrim and to date all feedback with regard to the pilot from stakeholders such as HSE, HSE Day Centres, external stakeholders and passengers has been very positive. My Department will be meeting shortly with officials from the Department of Transport to evaluate next steps for this project.

I am aware that the Department of Transport and its Agencies are also increasing access to public transport services by spearheading several initiatives focused on reducing the cost of public transport services. Collectively, these measures will benefit all members of society, including those with hidden disabilities. The Department of Transport has confirmed that together with the National Transport Authority and public transport operators it is committed to working together with other relevant Government Departments and agencies to continue making public transport accessible for all.