Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2023
606. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a person who is registered as blind meets the qualifying criteria for a primary medical certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46639/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme, operated by the Revenue Commissioners, falls under the remit of the Minister for Finance. To qualify for the scheme, an applicant must hold a Primary Medical Certificate.
In order to obtain a Primary Medical Certificate an applicant must be permanently and severely disabled, within the terms of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994, and satisfy at least one of the following medical criteria:
- 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.
The extent of the involvement of health personnel in the scheme relates to making a professional clinical determination as to whether an individual applicant satisfies the medical criteria set out in the Department of Finance regulations. This determination is undertaken by Senior Medical Officers for the relevant local Health Service Executive (HSE) Community Health Organisation, on behalf of the Revenue Commissioners. HSE personnel have no role in setting or amending the criteria.
