MS Ireland
Informing, Supporting and Caring for the MS Community
Wednesday February 27 2013 04:51 PM
The Department of Health announced today that the Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant will no longer be available to people with disabilities. The Department states that under the Equal Status Act the payments were unlawful. They have also stated that alternative schemes will be considered, ring-fencing the €10.6 million currently used in the schemes.
People with MS and other disabilities have come to rely on these payments to live from month to month. Having money to assist with transport means other income can be used to buy food, fuel and essential medical supplies. Added to the on-going nationwide cuts and taxes experienced by everyone, people with MS and other disabilities already bear a greater burden relating to the cost of their disability. Additional medical charges, transport costs and equipment purchase places greater pressure on people with disabilities to make ends meet.
Ava Battles, Chief Executive of MS Ireland says a few hundred people with Multiple Sclerosis will be affected by the cuts and there removal will limit people’s ability to participate in society,
“The payments enable people with disabilities to take a more active role in their family life, work life and local community. Taking away people’s right to social participation diminishes their quality of life and ability to contribute to society. For the few hundred people with MS we estimate are in receipt of these payments, we know many will suffer if an alternative, appropriate scheme is not introduced soon.”
The Mobility Allowance is a means tested payment of €206 a month aimed to supplement a disabled person income to assist them with various transport needs such as taxis to hospital appointments, community activities etc. The payment is particularly important in areas without good public transport. The allowance will cease in four months. The Motorised Transport Grant is a means tested payment given to assist a disabled person purchase a second hand car to enable them to continue working and taking part in community life.
MS Ireland is currently working with the Disability Federation of Ireland to ensure the money from the scheme is used to establish and run replacement schemes within the next four months.
Read more from the Irish Times today.
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...For World MS Day Whether you’re strapped for time and money or not, there are plenty of things you can do to raise awareness, raise the issues and raise funds this World MS Day. What’s Your Motto? Mottos can lift our spirits and motivate us to make the most of every day. You don't have to be affected by MS to get involved. We want to know the mottos that give you strength, even in the most challenging of times. Add your motto now. Spread the Word Send an email to your friends and family, change your social media image, take some posters and put up around your locality or maybe put something up on your company’s website. You can download lots of bits and bobs here, including a link to a online MS simulator. Forward, share and create! Attend An Event Across the country we are organising information and support events. If you want to meet people with MS, pick up information and tap into local services check the calendar on our website for an event near you. Fundraising events are on the calendar too! Organise a MS Ireland Tea Party In May or June organise a MS Ireland Tea Party in your home, community or workplace. What is raised locally will be spent locally on our home visit service, exercise and physiotherapy programmes, information events and through our voluntary Branches counselling and local support. Sign up for a pack today! Celeb Auction Get your hands on The Script, Noel Gallagher, Imelda May, Brian O’Driscoll, Def Leppard and many more in our giant auction. Place you bids today for unique signed and framed prints. Organise Your Own Event If our events are not floating your boat why not organise something with some friends, family or work colleagues. Run a table quiz, do a non-uniform day or get active with a run, walk or skydive! We also have MS Ireland pins you can sell or collection buckets you can use. Get planning today! Red Card to the Government Show your dissatisfaction with the neurology and neurorehabilitation services by emailing your local TD’s. Raise the issue and demand action. Email now. Your support means that we can provide vital services to people with MS in your community. From our home visits to respite care to physiotherapy and counselling our staff and volunteers work with people with MS and their families throughout Ireland. Thanks for your support!
World MS Day on the 29th of May takes place during European Month of the Brain and Ireland presidency of the EU. However, compared to the rest of Europe, Ireland seriously lags behind in neurological care services: Ireland has fewer neurologists per capita then the Czech Republic, Estonia and Latvia 38% of patients, more than 5,580 people are waiting more than a year to see a neurologist in a public hospital outpatient’s clinic, Ireland has 7 rehabilitation consultants; if we had 50 we’d still have the second lowest per capita rate in Europe 68% patients say physiotherapy and speech and language therapy are either inadequate or not available Help us change this. MS Ireland is joining forces with The Neurological Alliance of Ireland and other neurological non-profits to show the government the red card for neurology. We want the government to make neurology and neurorehabilitation a healthcare priority for 2013 and beyond. Take action and send your local representatives the ‘Red Card’ by sending an email highlighting the problems and calling for improvements. We are asking representatives to do two things for people with MS: Publish the implement plan for the National Neurorehabilitation Strategy Support for the work of the MS Ireland and the work they do for people with MS throughout Ireland From our website you can choose your constituency and with a few clicks of the mouse you’ll make your voice heard. Email your TD now! Read more about neurology services Read more about neurorehabilitation services For more information in this area contact Emma Rogan, MS Ireland Policy and Information Officer, emmar@ms-society.ie or 01 678 1600. What are your experience so neurology and neurorehab care?
Ryan Tubridy speaks to Tom Curran about MS and assisted suicide On Friday 3 May Tom Curran appeared on The Late Late Show to speak about his partner, their life with MS and their recent battle in the courts to win the right to die. For many people with MS watching this show it may have been upsetting, particularly for those newly diagnosed or struggling with their MS. The impact of Marie’s MS is more significant than most and her decision to end her life if the time comes is rare among people with MS. We hope that the MS Community watching the piece remembers that there is no one course of MS, no one way to manage it and no one way to cope with the emotional impact. We further remind people that the services of MS Ireland are available to anyone wishing to learn more, receive support or get involved. We have 10 regional services, 39 voluntary Branches, a national Information Line, a respite care centre, a website and lots of other resources and services that can help people and families live positive, valuable and comfortable lives. If you have been affected by the content of The Late Late Show piece our MS Information Line will be open on Saturday 4 May from 10am – 2pm. Messages will be returned if the line is busy. The Information Line reopens on Tuesday for normal service 10am – 2pm. MS Ireland believes there are many faces of MS and by focusing on any one experience it can lead to skewed perceptions. Despite our efforts to offer the media other stories of people living with MS, coverage of MS has focused on Marie and Tom exclusively. If you would like to help us present other experiences of MS why not write a letter to the editor of some of the national newspapers. Share your opinion and journey with MS. Also, you could become a spokesperson for MS and help us create awareness of MS during our World MS Day activities throughout May. We are looking for people who will share their story on the radio, local and national papers and TV. Read previous articles on assisted suicide, including MS Ireland’s comments Share your views on media coverage of this case
Raising awareness or scaremongering In the last six months MS has been in the media quite a bit. We have read about Marie Fleming and her assisted suicide case and Evelyn Joel and her untimely death due to her daughters neglect. Both high profile court cases have perked the interest of the media due to their controversy. Oscar Wilde once said “all publicity is good publicity”. But is this true for MS? As a by product of reporting the facts of these cases have the media painted an distorted picture of MS? When language like ‘sufferer’, ‘terminal’, ‘end stage’, ‘bed-bound’, ‘no quality of life’ are used repeatedly, does it present MS as something it’s not for most people? Over the last few months all of the services of MS Ireland have handled calls and queries from concerned and scared people with MS and their families. Younger people are feeling scared that only a bleak and painful future is ahead of them and many carers feel the value of their loved ones life is being diminished. In general many people with MS feel that the constant negative coverage creates fear and hopefulness. Assisted suicide debates are happening the world over and unfortunately neglect is found in every society. However, as these have been reported in the context of multiple sclerosis it does seem that a skewed view of MS is emerging. And this view may not be helpful to people trying to live their life as best they can. What do you think? What do you think of recent coverage of MS? Please leave your comment below.
Speakers confirmed It’s EU Month of the Brain, a month dedicated to everything cerebral! To start off Believe and Achieve: Life Skills for Young People with MS is taking place on the 11th May in the Davenport Hotel, Dublin 2. We start the morning with our fantastic panel of speakers who will discuss education, your rights, entitlement, some great ways to manage difficult times as well as inspiration from the work of others. To get you energised for the day, Margaret Forde, registered psychologist and yoga teacher, will tell us about using our entire mind to achieve our goals and live a happy life. She will talk about what we can learn from Positive Psychology and Mind Yoga. From mind to law; Noeline Blackwell, Director of the Free Legal Advice Centre will talk about your rights, how you can use the law, what do you need to know and lots of helpful information about the Irish legal system. We are delighted Dr. Rhonda Wynne, Programme Development Manager of UCD Adult Education, will join us to talk about the benefits of learning. Education is so much more than qualifications- it’s about engaging with others, learning new skills and personal development. When it comes to knowing your entitlements there is no place better than the Citizens’ Information Centre. Liz Carroll, Development Manager for the CIB, will share her incredible knowledge as well as providing materials and information for people on the day. To finish the presentations, Natalie Hodgess from the Vodafone Foundation will talk about her work in the organisation and how the projects make a difference in Ireland and in particular, how the programme inspires changes in business practices. Afternoon Session After a lunch of networking and conversations, Anne Twohig, completed her professional training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at the Centre for Mindfulness, (CFM) University of Massachusetts Medical School. She brings a wealth of experience to her work as a Mindfulness Teacher and an in-depth understanding of the importance and benefits of Mindfulness as a holistic self-care tool. The afternoon session is a time to discuss what’s important to you, a young person with MS. People will be sharing their mottos on what encourages and sustains them as well as talking through the impact, bad and good, MS has had on life. We will also ask people to share their thoughts and ideas with the world through social media. At the end of the session, we will collate the different points and relay them to the wider group. To finish the day, Conor Devine, a person with MS will talk about his life, what inspires him and how he came to write his book, ‘Attitude is Everything’. Book your free ticket today Download full programme of events Download speakers profiles
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Comments
Sean Brady
Wednesday February 27 2013 19:30
The Motorised Transport Grant has been of great benefit to me as it has helped me to continue working part-time and to participate in family life.
My car is very important to me as it gives me a great deal of independence.
The proposed abolition of this useful financial resource is yet another attack by a government who obviously don't care about people with disabilities in Ireland.
Burn a few bondholders? Not when you can burn someone less fortunate! What a great country we all live in!
Liz Hooley
Thursday March 07 2013 16:17
Hi I dont get the allowance but i do know that it will put major stress to those who rely on it. The stress for people with ms can cause a major relapse. Is there anything we can do to stop this cut.
Keith
Tuesday March 12 2013 12:40
i have ms eight years now and i feel every year since things are getting harded with all the cuts that are been made to payments i could not afford to pay for my medicine last month so i had to go without and suffer the pain the increase in the payment for medicine from 50 cents per it item to 1.50 per item must seem like nothing to them but it means pain and suffering to me.