Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise the appalling way my constituents and applicants in this State are being treated when it comes to making an application for a permit through the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme. As the Tánaiste is aware, the scheme provides relief from vehicle registration tax and VAT on an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant, open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or passenger. It is also open to certain charitable organisations. However, to qualify for the relief the applicant must hold a primary medical certificate issued by the board of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal. However, this is not happening and has not been happening for years, following the resignation of all members of the previous Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal in November 2021.

I know from my engagement with the National Rehabilitation Hospital that 1,000 applications are still waiting to be processed by one person. One person is expected to process 1,000 applications. This is up from the 726 severely disabled people who were awaiting an appeal at the end of last year. Indeed, 382 of those appeals date back to 2021. I know the Tánaiste will agree that this is absolutely no way to treat disabled people or any citizen of this State. It is leading to massive levels of isolation and frustration for disabled drivers and their families. It has to be dealt with urgently. Last December, the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, when he was Minister for Finance, stated he was hopeful a new board would be up and running in January 2023. Here we are, seven months on, and the new board is still not in place. I would like assurances and a timeframe from the Tánaiste as to when this issue will be attended to and given the serious priority it deserves. The longer the board of appeal is out of action, the more the backlog will build, with all of the delays that come with that. Will the Tánaiste ask the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Health, who is seated beside him, to work together to resolve this mess and this chaos, to give disabled drivers their freedom and independence back? Those are basic rights.

See this speech in context