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Services for People with Disabilities.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 July 2004

Wednesday, 7 July 2004

Questions (241)

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

237 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to change the criteria for the motorised transport grant to enable persons with Down’s syndrome to avail of it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20725/04]

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Written answers

The circular for motorised transport grant states that all health boards may pay a grant towards the purchase of a car and-or adaptions to a car being purchased by a person with a severe disability who is 17 years or older and up to 65 years of age, where such a car is essential for him-her to obtain or retain employment. Self-employed persons who satisfy the criteria of eligibility may also be considered, subject to the above age limits. In cases, where application is made on the basis of obtaining or retaining employment or self employment, the board must be satisfied that the applicant is capable of holding down a job, has the physical capacity to drive the vehicle and is qualified to hold a driver's licence, full or provisional. However, qualified persons with a disability who are incapable of driving or who have been medically advised not to drive, and who have to be driven to and from his-her place of employment will only be considered eligible for a grant provided that she-he will be driven by another named person to and from his-her place of employment. The car must be purchased in the name of the person with a disability. The grant may also be considered in exceptional circumstances for a person with a severe disability, subject to the above age limits, who lives in a very remote location and whose disability impedes him-her from using public transport.

There are no specific disabilities which are excluded from eligibility for the motorised transport grant provided the person applying for the grant meets the eligibility criteria. The Deputy should be aware that the working group established to examine the feasibility of introducing a cost of disability payment proposes to examine the scope for rationalising and streamlining the various disability support measures, with a particular focus on mitigating the additional costs of disability for a greater number of people with disabilities, particularly in the case of those who wish to move from a position of total welfare dependence to one of greater economic independence.

It is expected that the first area the working group will examine will be all mobility-related schemes.

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