Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has said he is appalled at the government’s decision to discontinue the Mobility Allowance Scheme and the Motorised Transport Grant Scheme.

Crowe said that discounting the schemes could lead to greater isolation and the impoverishment of the vulnerable recipients who are already struggling financially.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“This is an out and out attack on people with disabilities and will directly lead to their greater isolation.

“The department has been knowingly operating these schemes illegally because they discriminate against people who are excluded from them on the basis of an upper age limit and too narrow qualification criteria.

“In the case of the Mobility Allowance the upper age limit was found by the Ombudsman to be discriminatory in 2009. As the Ombudsman has pointed out in her statement, expressing disappointment at the government’s action in ending the schemes, they were operated in breach of the Equal Status Act since 2000.

“The Mobility Allowance was means-tested and was mostly paid to people who live on a disability allowance of under €190 a week.

“Axing these schemes completely is not a solution and will hurt some of the most vulnerable people in Irish society.

“While they will continue for the next four months, the Minister has made it quite clear that they are to end at that point. A review is being put in place, but there is no certainty about what will emerge for this group, who are very dependent on this small, but hugely important financial support.

“This decision has made an approximately 20% cut to the income of people who are already having financial difficulties, not to mention the combined added costs that come with having an impairment.

“The schemes are being shut down at stroke of a pen, but the mobility needs of disabled people still need to be met.

“The question Minister Reilly has to answer to the 5000 people his decision effects is: how are people who are already financially struggling supposed to make up the shortfall, from his decision to discontinue the Mobility Allowance Scheme and the Motorised Transport Grant Scheme, which currently meets some of their mobility needs?

“The Minister needs come up with a better excuse than the stock reply that he had no choice.”