Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 December 2023
63. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Finance the number of appeals for the primary medical certificate there are currently in counties Longford and Westmeath, in tabular form; and how long these people have been waiting for an appeal in term of months. [54092/23]
View answerProgress has been made on efforts to convene a new Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeals (DDMBA), to secure new hosting arrangements for the DDMBA and to recommence the appeals process.
I have now formally appointed all five members to the new DDMBA. Funding arrangements between the Department of Finance and the Department of Health have been agreed. On this basis the National Rehabilitation Hospital has confirmed they will again host the DDMBA. Preparatory work is under way, that includes due deliberation on how best to clear the backlog. In this regard, the Deputy should note that appeal hearings will recommence in the first half of December 2023.
I appreciate that it has taken far longer than anticipated to get to this point. With the Department of Health we have had to run four Expression of Interest campaigns over 18 months to source the legislatively required five members. We have also had to re-negotiate new hosting arrangements with the NRH following their withdrawal of services in February 2023.
Finally you should note that 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.
As of 7 November 2023 there were 1,138 appeals outstanding. County level breakdowns and waiting times for appeals are not available.
