54 Mr. Stafford asked the Minister for Health if he will review the situation in relation to recipients of disabled person's maintenance allowance who are normally in residential care and who when at home for approximately 12 weeks each year do not receive any allowance towards the cost of their maintenance at home and because of this cannot qualify for free travel.

Disabled persons maintenance allowance is paid by the health boards to enable disabled persons who live at home on an ongoing basis to maintain themselves. Health boards do not pay DPMA to persons who normally reside in residential care. In the case of disabled persons who are at home for short periods supplementary welfare allowance may be paid depending on family circumstances.