Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Mar 2000

Vol. 517 No. 1

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

Seymour Crawford

Ceist:

158 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason persons aged 66 years and older who were entitled to mobility allowance should have it removed; if the change from 65 years to 66 years gives them some extra benefit to replace the loss of this allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9369/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The mobility allowance is a means tested scheme that provides financial support to severely disabled people who are unable to walk or use public transport to finance the occasional taxi journey.

To be eligible to receive this allowance applicants must be over 16 years and under 66 years; be living at home or maintained by a health board in any long-term institution; be unable to walk, even with the use of artificial limbs or other suitable aids, or must be in such a condition of health that the exertion required to walk would be dangerous; their inability to walk has to be likely to persist for at least one year; moving of the applicant must not have been forbidden for medical reasons; and they must be in a condition to benefit from a change in surroundings.

This allowance was introduced in 1979 by Circular 15/79. This circular states, "An applicant must be under pensionable age". However, an allowance, once granted, will be continued after this age as long as the other criteria for eligibility are met. Therefore a person who is in receipt of mobility allowance when they reach 66 years of age, may still continue to receive it if they meet all the other eligibility criteria stated above.

If the Deputy is aware of a specific case requiring attention, he should supply me with the details and I will arrange to have the matter investigated further.