They need to get a new scheme up and running as soon as possible. But this is largely the fault of your own party Eoin who instead of addressing the service needs of people threw wads of cash at them instead. Also, Emily O’Reilly said that the scheme was not fully compliant with the law and was flagged to the Department of Health about four years ago, unsurprisingly noting happened. Remind me again who was in government four years ago.

Can agree wit you Reg on lots of things. But if there are legal issues, to simply cut it and wash their hands of the payment without any sort of scheme in place to to replace it is cold blooded. Adding worry and hardship to the family of disabled people is simply not on. Also, the ombudsman stating that the scheme is “not fully compliant with the law” suggests minor tweeks to the legislation may be required. It’s far from the claims today that the scheme is “illegal” (or unconstitutional) and requires immediate scrapping. I fear it’s another cut being dressed up, just like yesterday’s “Existance Tax” (read: broadcasting charge) is simply another tax dressed up as reform.

Eoin, if the legal issue you’re talking about is the legitimate expectation of those who got the benefit, then this is being catered for by the fact that the €10million has been ring-fenced for this year. Also, the fact that they are attempting to draw up a new scheme now also addresses this issue.
Reg has a perfectly legitimate point in saying that this was flagged 4 years ago to FF who of course did nothing and now the mess has been left up to this government to clean up. They have to find a way to replace an illegal and discriminatory scheme and this is the fact of the matter.

God, the brass neck of you FFers make me absolutely sick to my stomach. Pure political opportunism that should show people once and for all that you don’t care about this country, but only about getting back in power.

It’s the respite care grants all over again. (By the way, why haven’t they been reinstated after this miraculous “deal” a couple of weeks ago?!?!)

Ignoreland, first off I have the highest respect for Emily O’Reilly but she is not from a legal background and could well have been wrong about this scheme in the first place, similarly she may be correct. I don’t know, all I have is the word of Enda to go on and that’s not worth much these days.

Secondly, he says the money is “ring-fenced” which means diddly from this government. They have used that term time and again to wriggle out of bad situations. I note that Róisín Shorthall was calmed down temporarily with promises of “ring-fenced” programs and funding and we all know how that went.

Thirdly, if the Government have details why not tell them to the Dáil instead of the childishness we saw from the Government benches again today, treating legitimate questions with contempt. All we know is that these programs are being cut. We know nothing of if there is to be a replacement, if there is, what time frame to introduce it and under what possible outline conditions that may be attached.

The ERSI (as an independent body) have given us the marks for implementing harsh budgets that as fair as possible in the current climate. I don’t need that questioned by an Enda Kenny cheerleader. There are hard decisions to be made but this Government are just hitting the most vulnerable again and again.

There you go, Eoin, enjoy: http://www.ombudsman.gov.ie/en/Publications/Investigation-Reports/government-departments-other-public-bodies/Motorised-Transport-Grant-Report-to-D%C3%A1il-and-Seanad/Motorised-Transport-Grant-Report-to-D%C3%A1il-and-Seanad.pdf

For those who won’t read the report (and I don’t blame you) the reasons why the Ombudsman issued her opinion was because:
“This was an investigation of a complaint about the refusal of the HSE to award a MTG to a
young Donegal man. The refusal was on the grounds that the applicant did not meet the
medical criteria for eligibility. Following a detailed investigation, the Ombudsman upheld the
complaint. She found that the interpretation of the medical criteria for eligibility used by the
HSE was unacceptably restrictive and contrary to Equal Status legislation”.

That report is dated November 2012……….when Fine Gael were in Government. Why 4 months later have they scrapped these schemes then without having their successor ready to go? Typical of this Government, blame Fianna Fáil and hope nobody notices FG/Labour’s incompetence!

Again, if you read the report, the current scheme:
“flies in the face of the very explicit 2009 finding of an Equality Officer
who, in dealing with a similar scheme, was very critical of the “failure to assess the
intellectual and/or psychological capacity of the applicant in relation to their mobility”.
2009= FF’s watch.

The scheme has been scrapped but as the funding has been ring-fenced there is no immediate impact of it being scrapped. And you’re rich to have a go at the current government for not having a replacement ready after 3 months, when your party was put on notice 4 years ago.

From the report: “Between 2009 and 2011 the HSE’s Medical Officers in Donegal had undertaken a review of
the medical eligibility requirements for the MTG which resulted in a particular interpretation
of the term “severe disability”……….”

The report was issued on this in 2011.

2011 = FG’s watch. Your party’s policy of trying to blame everyone else for ye’re screw ups ends!

Oh this is brilliant: http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0227/369771-mobility/

Emily O’Rielly is quoted over on RTÉ and sets the timeframe out exactly in her own words. Furthermore, after her initial report at a subsequent meeting, only 3 weeks ago, the Health Ministers involved gave NO indication the scheme was to be scrapped. This entire diatribe is pure FG waffle again. What’s more, Kenny is accusing others of playing political football, then FG blames FF only to shown up for frauds by the very ombudsman they were trying to implicate in their own game of spin. Priceless!

It was pointed out in the Dail yesterday that Greece got all the interest that it paid to the E.C.B. last year ……..
Ireland paid over 500 million …………
They went and negotiated the “deal” and didn’t ask for a discount and then when it comes to people’s pay they appear to be able to “force” a discount of the people who voted for them …the term contempt for the electorate springs to mind!

P.S. …… The person who reported me to facebook for not being real has breached my rights for expressing my opinion under the Irish Constitution …… don’t do it again ! actually you can because i have a solicitor hired already so it doesn’t matter ! …apologies to the journal for having to state this but I’m sure you don’t mind seeing as you are well versed in the law of defamation!

IT’S ILLEGAL!!! IT’S DISCRIMINATORY!! READ THE ARTICLE!

Stop shouting, it’s illegal because the government recently stopped it if you were over 65 (your disability goes away then, see)
Because that was ruled illegal the whole thing must stop with nothing there to replace it.
Silly petty stuff aimed at the most vulnerable in society.
Its one thing to be evil enough to suggest this, it’s quite another for everyone else to agree.

So is VRT. When Enda ditching it????

Mass emigration, children going to school hungry, attacks on the disabled, stealth taxes by the bucket load, evictions, mass unemployment, suicide …. And still they furiously defend their own grotesque salaries and pensions.

Heaven help us!!!

They actually use Skoda’s as state cars now. Skoda Superbs. Not 100k Merc’s

Declan, Enda kennys car is an E class Mercedes

Band Number

Distance

Deputies
Annual
Dublin

Less than 25km €12,000
1 25km or more but less than 60km €28,106
2 60km or more but less than 90km€30,350
3 90km or more but less than 120km €31,850
4 120km or more but less than 150km €32,966
5 150km or more but less than 180km €33,350
6 180km or more but less than 210km €33,722
7 210km or more but less than 240km €34,094
8 240km or more but less than 270km €34,850
9 270km or more but less than 300km €35,594
10 300km or more but less than 330km €36,350
11 330km or more but less than 360km €37,106
12 360km or more €37,850

Travel allowances gifted to politicans by oddly enough politicans.
How many peolpe with mobility problems would benefit from these allowances

Well said Fiona. These guys act like saints, when really they are just stroking every penny they can before they retire to more ridiculous pensions.

Its sick

Are those figures on top of the €15k in unvouched expenses?

The unvouched system was replaced this year. However politicians will end up receiving more expenses than before – because the vouched expenses system pays over 60 per cent more than the unvouched model.The 51 TDs who currently opt for the unvouched model are currently entitled to receive €15,000 a year – but those who vouch for their expenses currently receives €25,700 per year. Similarly, each of the 44 Senators who opt for unvouched expenses can only receive €9,250 a year – but this increases to €15,000 for those who are willing to subject themselves to an occasional audit. This means a TD who currently opts against the vouched system, who receives €15,000 a year, will be forced into the vouched model and will have to keep receipts – but will now be entitled to €23,130 per year. Similarly, unvouched Senators will jump from €9,250 to €13,500.

So Fiona

My local TD (lives in my town) is on a basic of salary of €92,672, plus €15,000 unvouched (I checked), and a distance allowance of €30,350 (checked the distance with Google maps). This brings his grand total to €138,022.

He also owns a pub & part of a family farm. His wife is a full time teacher so let’s say an additional income of €60,000.

That means between him & his wife they have a total pre tax income including expenses of €198,022, of which €45,350 is tax free.

Have I got the right?

No wonder they are struggling to keep their children in boarding schools.

That is not what he said. He clearly explained that the scheme is not fot for purpose and a new appropriate scheme targeted at the people who actually deserve this money will be put in place…

The man is a proven liar, so what he “clearly explains” can never be believed.

I think history will be very kind to this Goverment!!

Declan, history is written by …. who writes it. Europe will sing our praises. The elderly who passed away worrying from day to day about paying fir heating etc will be long gone and their story with them. Think about it that way.

Peace
Adebaaayo

Adebayo

A hundred grand??? way too generous. Let them start on minimum wage.

@Dale 100% correct ! Excellent post! Look at the Lowry business in the dail yesterday! Basically none of them can do anything about him as they (FF,FG&more) have all been in bed with him!
Clean sweep and fresh start otherwise NOTHING will change in this country

Michelle, Did you actually look into the detail of this? Or are you just having a lash at Goverment again?? Truth is that this is not fit for purpose and a new appropriate scheme is the correct strategy..

Yes, but we cannot put FF back in either!!!!!! New politics and political movement needed

Alan,
Who you think gave away all this money? Who created the welfare state in order to get re-elected?? Truth is that is is FF fault! They threw money around which ultimately came from Europe and gave increase after increase, grant afte grant… Now we we have nothing and people still think we can have this welfare state.. Grow up the lot of ye!!!

Im not the one getting ridiculous “mileage expenses” and then turning around and telling disabled people to go and whistle for €100 a month (which is what the majority of people who receive mobility allowance get).
This is just another example of the “lets screw the little guy” mentality that FG/Labour have clearly adopted as their manifesto.
My point is that every time they screw the little guy they give us the same old b/s that its all ff’s fault. Time to man up Kenny and admit that your just a puppet being controlled by the masters in Frankfurt.

Respect for FF? Give me a break

It’s simply an ad hominem, the refuge of someone who doesn’t actually have a valid counter argument.. He has to say something, but the best he comes out with is “I know I am but what are you?”, for a teacher he still uses playground debate tactics..

The Labour Party seem to be very quite since they got into power with Fine Gael, yet they were party that were shouting the loudest when in opposition. Labour are a party of broken promises, they no longer seem to represent the lower paid and the most vulnerable in society as they (Labour) seem to endorse all the cutbacks and the various charges imposed by the present government, which Labour strongly opposed when in opposition
A former Labour supporter.

Gilmore’s conservative Labour Party. Only in Ireland……