No deferral on axing of mobility grants, says Kenny

on 28/02/2013 00:00:00

Mr Kenny claimed that alternative arrangements to help disabled people with their transport needs would be in place before the payments stop in four month's time.



"Those persons who are in receipt of €208.50 per month will continue to receive this payment during the course of the work that is now being undertaken to devise a new scheme," he said.



Mr Kenny was responding during Leaders' Questions when Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, asked him to "rescind this decision". He said the departments of transport, environment and health, as well as Revenue and disability groups, would come together to help devise a scheme.



"Throughout the country in both urban and rural areas there are a variety of mobility and transport schemes in operation through one agency or system or another," he said.

But Mr Adams said the Coalition should "wait until the review has concluded and consult properly with representatives of disabled citizens before taking any decision on this matter".

The payments were found to be in breach of equality laws and were described by the Taoiseach as "illegal, discriminatory, not inclusive and not comprehensive".

He said the €10.6m cost of running the two schemes could increase to €200m or €300m if it the eligibility was expanded.

"It would as a direct consequence take from existing frontline services for disabled people or those challenged in one way or another," he said.





The abolition of the schemes was "not a savings exercise," Mr Kenny said, but "about finding a way to provide an inclusive, fair, equitable, non-discriminatory system which deals with those who need it".



Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the removal of the payments was "incomprehensible and wrong, in particular without any alternative being put in place for the recipients".



He said people with disabilities were "unnecessarily bearing the brunt of the Government's targets" and accused the Government of implementing policies which amounted to "a severe attack" on this group.

"For the first time in 40 years, there has been an end to dedicated guidance counsellor provision in schools which will affect the mental health of our young people," he said.





"There have been cuts to the domiciliary care allowance and to the therapies, including physiotherapy and speech and language therapy, for people with disabilities. Above all, in the last budget, there was a cut in the respite care grant."

But Mr Kenny said Mr Martin had "a brass neck to make a political football out of an issue which is very serious for the people concerned".

The Taoiseach said the Fianna Fáil leader had "sat on these benches and reduced the blind person's allowance not once but twice, he cut the mobility allowance and the carers allowance and the carers benefit, and he removed the Christmas payment, which amounted to a cut of 10%".

Grant cuts

Under Fine Gael-Labour coalition:

*Mobility Allowance to end in four months.

*Respite Care Grant cut from €1,700 to €1,375 per year.

*Cuts to the €309 a month Domiciliary Care Allowance in Budget 2012 were reversed pending a review of the payment.

Under Fianna Fáil- Green Party coalition:

*Carer's Allowance for those under 66 cut by €8 to €212 a week

*Disability Allowance being cut by €8 to €186 a week.

*Christmas social welfare bonus abolished.

- Mary Regan

Soccer gives Tom 'a new lease of life'

By Claire O'Sullivan

Tom Winters is 16 and may get to play soccer for Ireland in Paris next autumn.

It's something he never imagined would happen when, at the age of 8, he had to start using a wheelchair due to advanced muscular dystrophy.

Playing power soccer for the past three years has given Tom "a whole new lease of life", according to his dad, Niall.

But it means regular trips to matches and the family live in Trim, Co Meath, whereas the country's power soccer league is based at the University (UL) of Limerick Sports Complex.

So once or twice a month, they family have to make the five-hour round-trip to UL.

Last December, Tom underwent a medical examination and the Winters family were awarded a 50% mobility grant which means that they would receive €104 per month towards Tom's travelling expenses.

As the family have been finding it hard to make ends meet since Niall lost his job in construction, they were delighted with the additional financial help.

Then yesterday morning, out of the blue, it was relayed to Niall that the grants were to be axed in four months' time. No new applications are to be processed. He doesn't know what will happen to Tom's claim. Are the family classed as receiving a new or existing application?

"We have a specially adapted van for Tom. We have to. He can't use our local bus as there is no room for a big electric wheelchair and also no way of strapping him in. The van is the only way that he can get around and I don't know how we'll be able to keep bringing him to Limerick without that extra bit of financial help," he said.

The family are paying a mortgage and significant heating bills as they have to keep heating on whenever Tom is at home as he's at high risk of pneumonia.

As for Tom, he couldn't imagine not getting to power soccer matches.

"It's very good. I've made a lot of friends from it. I love it because it means that I can play soccer like a normal person but just from a wheelchair. Its made a big difference to my life," said the fifth-year pupil.

Joe Mooney, CEO of Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, has asked Kathleen Lynch, the minister for disability, to "begin an immediate review into this decision and find ways to continue this payment to the most vulnerable and excluded in our society".

"Daily living expenses are significantly greater for people living with a disability. Services such as transport must be protected to allow individuals live a life of their own choosing," he said.

Grant cuts

Under Fine Gael-Labour coalition:

*Mobility Allowance to end in four months.

*Respite Care Grant cut from €1,700 to €1,375 per year.

*Cuts to the €309 a month Domiciliary Care Allowance in Budget 2012 were reversed pending a review of the payment.

Under Fianna Fáil- Green Party coalition:

*Carer's Allowance for those under 66 cut by €8 to €212 a week

*Disability Allowance being cut by €8 to €186 a week.

*Christmas social welfare bonus abolished.

Mary Regan