This article is from page 14 of the 2013-03-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
A VISUALLY-IMPAIRED Ennisman is terrified that he will effectively be a prisoner in his own home in four months time, as he faces the loss of his Mobility Allowance.
Thomas Connole believes that the loss of this monthly grant that allows him limited independence and dignity is very likely, as the Government has failed to guarantee an alternative fund.
The 45-year-old depends on the funding system to provide for taxi trips so that he can attend social outings and be free to leave and return from his own home at will.
There is not sufficient public transport to meet with Mr Connole’s needs, and as he is blind, driving is not an option. This grant provides for his only form of transport, and now he fears it will be taken from him, and more people in the county who are highly dependent on it.
“If this goes it means I cannot get out,” he said.
Mr Connole is supported by a personal assistance for a few hours every day, but as he pointed out they are not always available.
He then uses his mobility allowance to attend his horse ridding classes or to socialise.
“I am a huge music fan and there are a lot of dances at a local hotel and I like to go there,” he said.
“This allowance will go, and I am worried I am going to be housebound. I will effectively be trapped in my own home. I also fear I will have to stop horse ridding if it is taken away.”
The music enthusiast is most fearful of the isolation of being restricted to his own home, an isolation that could impact on the mental well being of many people reliant on the payment for their independence.
“That is what the Government don’t think of. They think of the overall picture and not of how it impacts on those involved. There are talks that they are going to give the money to organisations and that won’t work for the individual. No one person has the same needs, or have the same appointments,” he said anxiously.
The Mobility Allowance was a means-tested monthly payment payable by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to people aged between 16 and 66 years who have a disability and are unable to walk or use pub- lic transport and who would benefit from a change in surroundings.
The Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly repeatedly warned the Government that by putting an age limit on the scheme it was in contravention of equality legislation.
Last week the Department of Health axed this payment and the Motorised Transport Grant stating the two schemes would be a burden on the exchequer if they were to operate in accordance with Equal Status Acts. The Government has failed to guarantee that an alternate fund- ing stream will be in place for people with disability next July, when payments of existing mobility support ceases.
The Department of Health has set up a review of the schemes, with the review group instructed that any solution to the mobility needs of those affected must be devised within a funding limit of € 10.6m.
The Minister for Health James Reilly maintains that extending the schemes along with Ms O’Reilly’s recommendations would cost approximately € 170m per annum.
Dermot Hayes, Disable People of Clare, criticised the Government as they had been aware of the Ombudsman’s concerns about this payment for a long time, but failed to act or put an alternative in place before axing the current payments.
“This is a huge cop out. They can sort the banks with an overnight sitting of the Dáil. I cannot understand why they cannot change this quickly,” he said.