Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputies Naughten and Canney referred to two different schemes. As Deputy Naughten correctly noted, the mobility scheme was closed in 2013. We are dealing with the issue of participants who were on the scheme and ensuring that the taxation of their allowance from a scheme that is now closed will be fully dealt with. Deputies Canney and Naughten then referred to the scheme that is in place, namely, the disabled drivers scheme. While this will be the subject of an amendment to the Finance Bill later in the process, there was a Supreme Court hearing in respect of the operation of this scheme earlier in the year. In the aftermath of the scheme, the HSE ceased issuing the certificates that Deputy Canney referred to, which have been the cause of concern and worry for many, as has been raised with me by other Deputies. I have written to the HSE indicating that it should continue with the release of the required medical certification. I issued that communication in recent weeks and it should begin to have an effect on the issues the two Deputies referred to.

The effect of that communication, along with the amendment I will bring in, will be to restore the scheme to its original operation. When we debate the amendment later in the process, I will indicate my intention to work with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, and his Department to launch a review of the scheme and to consider what the future of the disabled drivers scheme could be. A number of issues have arisen and matters are frequently raised with me in respect of the operation of the scheme. It is now appropriate to step back and assess how the scheme is operating and what its role should be in the future. In the interim, the scheme will continue to operate as it was intended to.