Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 May 2015

Decisions on Public Petitions Received

Chairman

We are sitting as a joint sub-committee on petitions to record the decisions of the committee.

The joint sub-committee has received a total of 138 petitions to date since the launch of the petitions system. The secretariat has been examining them to establish their admissibility and how best to progress them for consideration by the joint sub-committee. Up to 127 of the petitions received have been brought before the joint sub-committee on at least one occasion. Of these, 59 were considered, a decision agreed upon and closed, 42 were inadmissible and 27 are still under consideration.

There is just one petition before us today and it is an issue which has been raised before in several petitions. As members will recall, we discussed these earlier this year and the committee agreed the secretariat would contact the relevant organisations seeking submissions. The secretariat is preparing a briefing note and the aim is to revisit this issue in this session with a view to making recommendations.

The petition in question is No. P00007/15, primary medical certificate criteria, from Mr. Leon Delaney. Once again, we have a petitioner questioning the harshness of the eligibility criteria being applied to applicants as a result of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994, SI 353/1994.

During the joint sub-committee’s consideration of petitions Nos. P00020/14 and P00014/13 on 5 November 2014, it was agreed to write to the various relevant umbrella disability representative groups seeking submissions on the matter in advance of inviting the Minister for Finance to appear before the committee. These submissions have been received and a briefing note has been prepared by the secretariat.

I will now open it up to members for their consideration.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

These are outdated criteria that need to be amended and to reflect modern life. The Minister for Finance and the relevant officials should be asked to attend the committee to explain why these criteria have not changed in line with those in other countries which have similar systems to ensure people are not discriminated against in a way this petitioner and others feel they do. It might have been an oversight but it does not justify discrimination. This regulation needs to be changed.

Deputy Seamus Kirk

This petition provides the committee with an opportunity to consider a complaint we all get from our constituents. The criteria for the primary medical certificate are far too rigid and need to be reviewed. New categories need to be introduced as an interim measure, at least while a major review of the scheme could be undertaken in the medium and longer term. There are several simple initiatives that could be taken with the scheme to bring a degree of fairness to it. The scheme is beneficial to successful applicants but, unfortunately, there are those on the margins of decisions who were not able to get the primary medical certificate. This is one petition on which the committee should focus. If we can successfully change the regulations, it could yield considerable benefit to the many people in question.

Deputy Michael P. Kitt

I agree with my colleagues and the Chairman that we should invite the Minister to the committee to discuss this matter. It is important to examine how the scheme is operated in other countries where they have different qualifying criteria. We should be able to reach an equitable solution by making the necessary changes.

Chairman

We will invite the Minister and his senior officials to attend the committee as real issues have been brought to our attention which need to be addressed. After that, we will finalise our deliberations with a report and some recommendations. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Seamus Kirk

That is a finance issue rather than a health one.

Chairman

Absolutely. It is one of those cross-over issues but the Minister for Finance is ultimately responsible.

The joint committee adjourned at 5.10 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 May 2015.