Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
337. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 372 and 415 of 14 June 2022, the current status of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal; if a new Board has been appointed; when outstanding appeals will be heard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39933/22]
View answer347. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 306 of 12 July 2022, if he will provide an envisaged timeframe for when a review of applications received through the second expression of interest campaign will be completed given that he has confirmed that the campaign recently closed on 5 July 2022 and that the selection process is ongoing; when the new disabled drivers medical board of appeal will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40124/22]
View answer351. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Finance the status of a primary medical certificate appeal for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40198/22]
View answer352. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the appeal of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40206/22]
View answer377. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Finance when he expects that the board will be reconstituted and applicants appealing a decision on their primary medical certificate may have their cases heard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40723/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 337, 347, 351, 352 and 377 together.
The Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT on the purchase and use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant.
The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain charitable organisations. In order to qualify for relief, the applicant must hold a Primary Medical Certificate issued by the relevant Senior Area Medical Officer (SAMO) or a Board Medical Certificate issued by the Disabled Driver Medical Board of Appeal. Certain other qualifying criteria apply in relation to the vehicle, in particular that it must be specially constructed or adapted for use by the applicant.
To qualify for a Primary Medical Certificate an applicant must be permanently and severely disabled, and satisfy at least one of the following medical criteria, in order to obtain a Primary Medical Certificate:
- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;
- be wholly without the use of one leg and almost wholly without the use of the other leg such that the applicant is severely restricted as to movement of the lower limbs;
- be without both hands or without both arms;
- be without one or both legs;
- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg;
- have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.
In the event that a PMC is not granted by the relevant Senior Area Medical Officer an appeal may be made to the independent Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal (DDMBA) who operate out of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire.I have no role in relation to the granting or refusal of PMCs and the HSE must be independent in their clinical determinations.
Following the resignation of all members of the previous Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal an Expression of Interest seeking suitable candidates for the Board closed on 29th April 2022. The selection process is nearing its final stages for this initial round of recruitment. A second Expression of Interest campaign, which closed on the 5th July, was launched to seek additional applicants. The selection process for this campaign is ongoing.
Requests for appeal hearings can be sent to the DDMBA secretary based in the National Rehabilitation Hospital. New appeal hearing dates will be issued once the new Board is in place and is in a position to re-commence appeal hearings. Assessments for the primary medical certificate, by the HSE, are continuing to take place.
I also gave a commitment that a comprehensive review of the scheme, to include a broader review of mobility supports for persons with disabilities, would be undertaken.
In this context I have been working with my Government colleague, Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. We are both agreed that the review should be brought within a wider review under the auspices of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy, to examine transport supports encompassing all Government funded transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities.
We consider this the most appropriate forum to meet mutual objectives in respect of transport solutions/mobility supports for those with a disability.
The NDIS working group, chaired by Minister Anne Rabbitte, with officials from both my Department and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as well as others, held its first meeting on the 26th January 2022. A stock-taking exercise of existing transport and mobility schemes currently supporting people with disabilities is ongoing ahead of the next meeting of the group. The issue was also discussed at the most recent meeting of the NDIS Steering Group on April 13th, which included input from stakeholders. No further meetings have yet taken place as the Department, as part of overall Government efforts, has been responding to the needs of Ukrainian refugees.
My officials will continue to work closely with officials from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, to progress this review, and on foot of that will bring forward proposals for consideration.
