Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
452. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance when it is proposed to establish the disabled drivers medical board of appeal; when the criteria for this scheme will be amended in view of the widespread dissatisfaction in relation to the workings of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38167/23]
View answerFollowing the resignation of all previous members of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal (DDMBA) in November 2021, I had hoped that a new DDMBA would have been established by now and that the appeals process would have recommenced.
Five members are legislatively required for a functional Board, however the recruitment of these members has proved to be challenging. In this regard, four expressions of interest campaigns have been organised by the Department of Health – 3 of them in 2022, and one in April to replace a previously nominated person. The necessary 5 members have now been nominated by the Minister for Health and all have successfully completed Garda vetting. They will be formally appointed by the Minister pending confirmation from the NRH that they are willing to again host the Board, following withdrawal of their services in February 2023.
Senior officials from my Department and the Department of Health are actively working to determine financial arrangements for the NRH, who have indicated a willingness to again host the DDMBA once these are in place. It is important to note that requests for appeal hearings can still be sent to the DDMBA secretary based in the NRH.
Assessments for the primary medical certificate (PMC) , by the HSE, are continuing to take place. In this regard, an important point to make is that even though there has been no appeal mechanism since the previous Board resigned, applicants who have been deemed not to have met one of the six eligibility criteria required for a PMC are entitled to request another PMC assessment six months after an unsuccessful PMC assessment.
I have no role in relation to the granting or refusal of PMCs and the HSE and the Medical Board of Appeal must be independent in their clinical determinations.
In relation to the second part of the Deputy's question, he should note that the final report of the NDIS Transport Working Group's review of mobility and transport supports including the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme (DDS), endorsed proposals for a modern vehicle adaptation scheme in line with international best practice that would replace the DDS, as it is no longer fit-for-purpose on any and all aspects.
As the Deputy will appreciate, access to transport for people with disabilities is a multifaceted issue that involves work carried out by multiple Government departments and agencies. Officials from relevant Departments and agencies are meeting to discuss the issues arising from this report and to map a way forward. My officials are proactively engaging with this work as an important step in considering ways to replace the DDS.
The Government is committed to providing services for people with disabilities which will empower them to live their lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives.
