Anton McNulty
antonmcnulty@mayonews.ie
A DISABILITY campaigner in Mayo has accused the government of ‘lying’ to them regarding their justifications for cutting the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant.
Last week, the government faced the wrath of disability groups after they cut both the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant on the grounds they were illegal and discriminatory.
The governments announcement that they were to scrap the schemes came as a major surprise to disability groups who said they were given no indication they were to be closed with immediate effect.
Michael Corbett of the Disability Federation of Ireland told The Mayo News that this scheme was another example of the government ‘slashing at the most vulnerable’ in society.
“We had the Croke Park negotiations where the Ministers were hanging from the rafters trying to please people while people with disabilities had their income cut by 20 per cent at the stroke of the pen. There was no consultation nothing, this is the HSE at it again. They cut 20 per cent of people’s income just like that. The mobility allowance is much more part of people’s core income. I am angry about it, this is a disgrace,” he said.
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny said the €10 million which was allocated for the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grants this year, will be ring-fenced for a new scheme that will be legally compliant.
However, Mr Corbett said the governments had four years to come up with a new scheme and did not believe the government’s reasons for taking the scheme away.
“They tried something similar in September when they said this has to be done but when we resisted they found that it need not have been done. This is Fine Gael to a tee. This is slashing at the most vulnerable. I know there is a legal point and they say this is the only way around it. I simply don’t believe that. I say they are lying straight out,” he said.
The government’s decision was criticised by political opponents with Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary describing the cutbacks as ‘yet another savage attack on people with disabilities’.
He said people with disabilities living in rural areas of Mayo are heavily dependent on these scheme and will be badly hit by the cuts.
“The fact that Fine Gael and Labour can justify this disgraceful decision shows just how out of touch they have become. They claim that these schemes are ‘obsolete’ – but what about the 5,000 people who will suffer a 20 per cent cut in their income as a result?” said Deputy Calleary.
Independent MEP Marian Harkin called on the government to ‘urgently reconsider’ the decision to end the national mobility allowance, arguing that it ‘sends the wrong signal about the nation’s duty towards its citizens with disabilities’.
“While there clearly is an issue about the government contravening the equal status act, this is not under any circumstances a justification to discontinue the fund. The government, with only a modicum of foresight and fairness, could have put another programme in place before this scheme ends,” she said.
NEXT WEEK Disability Campaigner Tom Chambers on his disbelief at the latest cuts to the mobility allowance.
HAVE YOUR SAY email antonmcnulty@mayonews.ie with your comments
