Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 March 2022
5. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Transport the reason persons with diabetes are forced to get a shorter-term driving licence; the measures that are in place to offset the additional costs of having to renew a licence every three years compared with ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12126/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhat is the reason for persons with diabetes being forced to get shorter term driving licences? What measures are in place to offset the additional costs of having to renew the licence every three years, compared with every ten years for other persons? I ask the Minister to make a statement on the matter. This relates to people who have diabetes. Every three years, they have to renew their driving licence. It is costing them €50 or €60 straight away to get a report from a doctor. Will something be done about that? This is causing untold unfairness. These people are being treated differently from other citizens.
Irish driving licence law is framed by the requirements of EU legislation. Under the EU directives, a person with an identified or specified illness, such as diabetes, is required to provide a medical report when applying for a learner permit or driving licence. The medical report must be completed by a general practitioner, GP, and a licence may be issued for one, three or ten years. The period of issue is based on the GP's assessment of the applicant and his or her recommendation. This is based on the medical advice determined by a GP when the person presents to him or her.
A clinical guidance document, Sláinte agus Tiomáint Medical Fitness to Drive Guidelines, is compiled by the Road Safety Authority in conjunction with the National Office for Traffic Medicine. It provides guidelines for medical professionals to assist in their assessment of an individual applicant's fitness to drive a motor vehicle.
A ten-year driving licence costs €55. A reduced fee of €35 is charged for a three-year licence, while there is no charge for a one-year licence. I hear the concerns the Deputy is raising in respect of the costs and I will certainly follow up with the RSA in respect of the cost differential.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Where I am coming from is that the three-year licence costs €35. It is cheaper than the €55 for a ten-year licence, but within that the ten-year period, these people have to take out four three-year licence, so they actually paying approximately €140 or €145. That is not the issue, however. It is not about whether it is a three-year, one-year or ten-year licence. Thanks be to God, if I go looking for a medical certificate for driving a lorry or whatever, I can get a ten-year certificate. However, if a person has an underlying condition such as diabetes, there are rules and regulations. It needs to be tied in with the likes of the HSE that there is something done so these people do not have to pay to go to a doctor three times extra on top of the other costs.
There is no doctor charging less than €60 for working people. These people do not have medical cards or anything like that. The problem is when one adds these numbers together. I ask that the Minister talk to the Road Safety Authority, RSA, to try to resolve this issue.
I will contact the RSA on the licence fee issue. The other issue may be a Department of Health one as it involves going to a doctor for a medical checkup. It is not my area but I do not believe that is covered by the GP card. I will certainly talk to the RSA around the licence fee issue.
I reiterate that this is a vital road safety tool and I appreciate the Deputy has not questioned that. GPs have to do their work and many conditions are degenerative or may be volatile if they are not managed properly. That is where the GP's expertise comes in, where patients may require regular monitoring to determine if they are safe to drive.
I will also say that not all licences for people with a specified condition are issued for shorter periods. It is up to the GP and contingent on his or her clinical assessment of that. I will commit to speaking to the RSA on the fees question.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I wish to clarify one matter, please. Did the Minister of State state that if the GP says the person is okay to drive longer than the three years, that that is acceptable as I may have picked her up wrong on that point?
I welcome what the Minister of State said and I ask her to focus on this because there are many people who, unfortunately, have diabetes and other underlying conditions and we have to try to help people who are working and finding it difficult.
I will check the GP question but what happens in general is that when a person goes to a GP for a letter, he or she is paying for it. I have seen people who have medical cards being asked for money for such a letter.
Just to confirm, my understanding is that the GPs do not have to issue shorter licence periods for specified illnesses. It is up to them, as they are the medical experts, to give the clinical assessment as to somebody's ability to drive. It is completely within their remit.
That comes from the National Office for Traffic Medicine, which was jointly established by the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland and the Road Safety Authority, and which brings the specialty of traffic medicine to Ireland. It was brought in in 2011 and we are looking at road safety and at clinicians leading on this in respect of that assessment.
I will follow up on the other issue for the Deputy.
