Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 May 2004
117 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Finance the position in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow who appealed a decision to the disabled drivers medical board of appeal and had a hearing in February 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13926/04]
View answerIt is a fundamental requirement for relief under the disabled drivers and disabled passengers (tax concessions) scheme that the applicant must meet the medical criteria specified in the regulations and be in possession of a primary medical certificate to that effect issued by the appropriate senior area medical officer, who is an official of the relevant health board. Where the issue of the required certificate is refused this can be appealed to the disabled drivers' medical board of appeal, an independent body whose decision is final.
The medical criteria for the purposes of the tax concession under this scheme are set out in the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994. Six different types of disability are listed under the regulations and a qualifying person must satisfy one or more of them. The six types of disablement are as follows: persons who are wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs; persons who are wholly without the use of one of their legs and almost wholly without the use of the other leg such that they are severely restricted as to movement of their lower limbs; persons without both hands or without both arms; persons without one or both legs; persons wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg; and persons having the medical condition of dwarfism and who have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.
My Department has no involvement in the operation of the disabled drivers' medical board of appeal. However, I am informed by the medical board of appeal that the person in question was seen by the board on 2 February 2004 and was not considered to be eligible for the scheme as the person did not meet any of the strict medical criteria as set out above.
