Transport supports for disabilities
Willie O’Dea asks about legislation and funding for transport assistance to people with severe disabilities, particularly in rural areas. The Taoiseach says the Bill is due later in the year.
I want to ask the Taoiseach about proposed legislation in the health area. I am referring to No. 96 on the Government list, the health (transport supports) Bill. It is supposed to provide for a scheme to make individual payments to people with severe disabilities who cannot access public transport as a contribution towards their transport costs. In view of the fact that people who are living in remote rural areas and who do not have access to public transport are no longer getting assistance from the supplementary welfare budget and in view of the fact that the exceptional needs payment budget has been reduced steadily by this Government in the past three years, when will that legislation be brought forward?
