Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:245. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Finance if an applicant must meet criteria (details supplied) to be granted a primary medical certificate. [52840/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 25 October 2022
Ceisteanna (245)
Freagraí scríofa
The Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from VRT and VAT on the purchase and use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The car must be purchased before applying for VRT and VAT relief, as applicable to the category of adaptations made to the vehicle.
The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons who meet one of six medical criteria, as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain organisations. In order to qualify for relief, the applicant must hold a Primary Medical Certificate issued by the relevant Senior Area Medical Officer (SAMO) or a Board Medical Certificate issued by the Disabled Driver Medical Board of Appeal. Certain other qualifying criteria apply in relation to the vehicle, in particular that it must be specially constructed or adapted for use by the applicant.
To qualify for a Primary Medical Certificate an applicant must be permanently and severely disabled, and satisfy at least one of the following medical criteria, in order to obtain a Primary Medical Certificate:
- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;
- be 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;
- be without both hands or without both arms;
- be without one or both legs;
- be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg;
- have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.
These are in line with the criteria outlined in the Deputy's question.
I gave a commitment that a comprehensive review of the scheme, to include a broader review of mobility supports for persons with disabilities, would be undertaken.
In this context I have been working with my Government colleague, Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. We both agreed that the review should be brought within a wider review under the auspices of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS), to examine transport supports encompassing all Government funded transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities.
As part of my Department’s contribution to the review, it established an information-gathering group to capture the experiences, expertise and perspectives of former DDMBA members and Principal Medical Officers (PMOs) in the HSE. A range of outputs were produced, providing information on the DDS scheme and were submitted to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in July.
The Deputy should note that the NDIS working group, chaired by Minister Anne Rabbitte, with officials from both this Department and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth as well as others, held its first meeting on the 26th January 2022. A stock-taking exercise of existing transport and mobility schemes currently supporting people with disabilities was finalised at its meeting of 6th September 2022. Members were then asked to put forward proposals for next steps that will be discussed at the next NDIS working group meeting, scheduled for end November. In this regard, I have recently written to Minister’s O’Gorman and Rabbitte submitting my Department’s response to the various questions on which views were sought.
My officials will continue to work closely with officials from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to progress the wider review and on foot of that it is hoped that the NDIS working group will bring forward proposals for consideration.
I cannot comment on any potential changes to the scheme in advance of these proposals.