The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations, 1994, were drawn up by the Minister for Finance and come under the remit of the Revenue Commissioners. The Department of Health and Children has no statutory responsibility for the regulations or their operation.
To qualify, a person must meet one or more of the following medical criteria, which are specified in the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations, 1994, which are not set by the Department of Health and Children; wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs; 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; without both hands or without both arms; without one or both legs; wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg; has the medical condition of dwarfism and has serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.
The medical assessment for 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 role is to assist the operation of the Department of Finance scheme. Accordingly, the Deputy's question has been referred to the chief executive officer, South-Eastern Health Board with a request that he examine the query and reply directly to the Deputy as a matter of urgency.
I should point out that if a person is dissatisfied with a decision of a senior area medical officer in respect of primary medical certification, it is open to that person to appeal to the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal. However, as with the above regulations, the Department of Health and Children has no statutory responsibility for this board of appeal.
In relation to the number of primary medical certificates issued to people with dwarfism in the South-Eastern Health Board region, the details are as follows:
January-December 2001: two primary medical certificates were issued in 2001.
January-June 2002: no primary medical certificates were issued in this period.
