Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2417. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if limitations on the mobility of a person (details supplied) were taken into account prior to a determination being made to refuse an application with respect to an EU disabled persons parking permit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33179/19]
View answerEligibility for the European Parking Card is set out in the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997, as amended, which define a disabled person in this context as "A person with a permanent condition or disability that severely restricts his or her ability to walk." The principle here is that parking cards are issued on the basis of mobility impairment rather than the diagnosis of a particular condition or illness.
While my Department produces the legislation underpinning the Disabled Parking Scheme, the day to day running of the scheme is the responsibility of the designated issuing bodies, the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) and the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI). As I am unable to comment on the decision making process applied to any one individual application, I suggest that the Deputy raise his concerns with the issuing body in question.
