Mobility Allowance cut to hit over 1,500 people in Dublin

 Mobility Allowance CutDublin Fianna Fáil Councillor Deirdre Heney has revealed that over 1,500 people with severe disabilities across Dublin will see a 20% cut in State supports from July.

 

According to new figures obtained by Fianna Fáil, around 185 people in the Dublin North Central constituency alone who have been in receipt of the Mobility Allowance will see a dramatic reduction in their income from July, following the Government’s decision last month to axe the scheme.  Across the northside of the city, around 740 people with severe disabilities will be directly affected, while approximately 840 on the southside will be hit by the cut.

 

Cllr Heney has described it as a ‘savage cut’ that will have an enormous impact on people with disabilities and their families.

 

“From July, hundreds who have severe disabilities will suddenly see a 20% drop in their income.  The Government has ripped the scheme from them without warning, without consultation and without any consideration of the enormous impact it will have on their lives,” said Cllr Heney.

 

“Fine Gael and Labour’s justification for axing the mobility allowance is that it is ‘obsolete’.  I very much doubt that the hundreds of people here in Dublin, and the thousands nationally, who have benefited from the scheme see it that way.  The Government has no alternative scheme ready to go in its place, so once again this looks like just another sneaky cut targeting the people who are most in need of support.

 

“What we have seen over the past two years is a sustained attack on people with disabilities.  Fine Gael and Labour cut the disability allowance in their first budget two years ago.  They cut home help hours and personal assistants last August. They have cut the domiciliary care allowance and funding therapies for people with disabilities.  They cut the respite care grant in this year’s budget.  As if all of that wasn’t enough, they have now cut the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant.

 

“It is not too late for the Government to reverse this latest deeply unfair decision.  I am encouraging the people affected and their families to let their local Government representatives know just how damaging this cut will be to their lives,” said Cllr Heney.

 

View the full press release here.