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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 1

Written Answers. - Disabled Drivers.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

104 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a primary medical certificate has not been issued to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if there is another scheme under which this person would qualify for assistance to convert his car; and if this information will be given to this person. [4012/02]

The medical assessment and granting of a primary medical certificate for the purpose of the disabled drivers' and disabled passengers' (tax concessions) scheme is carried out by the senior area medical officer in the relevant health board. This function is to assist the Department of Finance which has statutory responsibility for the disabled drivers' and disabled passengers' (tax concessions) scheme. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive officer of the South-Eastern Health Board to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and reply to him directly.

With regard to the question about another scheme, I wish to draw the Deputy's attention to the motorised transport grant which comes under the aegis of my Department. This is a means tested payment administered by the health boards. The purpose of this grant is to provide assistance to persons with a disability who may need a car to obtain or retain employment or to provide assistance to persons with a disability who are living in very isolated circumstances and have serious transport problems. The maximum motorised transport grant is currently €4,370, effective from 1 January 2002.

To be eligible to receive the motorised transport grant, applicants must satisfy the following conditions: their disability must impede their use of public transport; they must hold a driving licence; they must be physically and mentally capable of driving; and the motorised transport must be a necessity in order for the person to obtain or retain employment or the person must have a transport requirement because of very isolated circumstances.

Applications may also be considered in cases where persons with severe disabilities are incapable of managing the controls of a car or where on medical opinion it is inadvisable for them to drive and, therefore, they must be driven to and from their place of employment. In such cases, the car must be purchased by the person with a disability and the name of the person who will drive this person to and from his or her place of employment must be notified to the relevant health board.
If a person feels that he or she may qualify for the motorised transport grant, he or she should contact the relevant health board for further details and an application form.
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