Dáil debates
Tuesday, 20 June 2017
Topical Issue Debate
Parking Regulations
6:40 pm
Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Before the Minister and the Ministers of State leave, I congratulate everyone who was reappointed.
Dementia is a deeply distressing condition for those suffering from it and for their families. It presents a significant and growing challenge to health and social services. As our population ages, the number of people with dementia will increase. Progressive increases in investment towards support for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease will be required in the years ahead.
Supporting the provisions of disabled persons parking cards, also known as European parking cards or disabled parking badges, for dementia and Alzheimer's disease suffers would make such a difference to their lives.
The World Health Organization has described dementia as one of the most serious social challenges facing the world today. Currently, a total of 55,000 people are living with dementia in Ireland and over 5,000 people have early onset Alzheimer's disease. Many more of them still drive, thankfully.
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland has made the point that the majority of people with dementia, over 63%, live in the community and wish to continue to live at home as a first option.
Insufficient provision for home help and home care packages channel people to long-term care causing the institutionalisation of people with dementia. However, people with dementia prefer to remain living at home for as long as possible. With the right supports this is possible for the majority of the people concerned.
We should not underestimate the difference we can make by implementing simple measures, such as issuing parking cards, that would make life easier for those struggling as the illness takes hold. The proposal is simple but practical. It would be a step in the right direction and Ireland could be a world leader for dementia care and support. Everyday challenges differ for people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Small things can make a major difference. People are living longer and will need more supports as they age.
In 2014, the National Assembly for Wales passed the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014. The regulations allow those with a cognitive impairment, that is, people who cannot plan and follow the route of a familiar journey, to be eligible for a blue badge as of January 2015. The regulations do not give automatic entitlement to a blue badge. According to the blue badge scheme criteria in Wales, a person needs to provide a letter of support from a relevant health care professional explaining the diagnosis.
I am calling for a change in the criteria such that people with dementia can be eligible to apply for the disabled person's parking card based on an assessment by their general practitioner to verify the need. This will help to resolve the difficulties faced by people with dementia and their families in carrying on activities of daily life. Activities that many of us take for granted, like visiting the shop or attending GP appointments, can become physically challenging and the associated journeys can be daunting for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. I hope the Government will consider this change in order that people are able to continue doing the things they enjoy and maintain their independence for far longer.
People with dementia have the right to maintain their independence and to remain and be active in a familiar environment linked to their communities. To do this, they need access to supports that reflect the complex and changing needs of the condition.
The disabled parking permit scheme was born out of a basic necessity to maintain independence for people in Ireland living with a permanent disability, medical condition or severe mobility difficulties, as well as for people who are registered blind, whether they are drivers or passengers. A person with a disability requires access to a disabled parking bay because of access to amenities and facilities. Accessible parking bays are located near amenities for people to access work, education, public transport, post office, shops, banks or social events as well as hospital appointments.
I am aware of a lady who dropped her husband off at the door of the hospital while she went to park. Her husband suffers from dementia. When she got back to the hospital door, her husband was missing. Luckily, with the help of the Garda, she found him a mile and a half away. The man could have walked out in front of a lorry or car. He was simply not capable of managing on his own.
The value of these cards cannot be underestimated. Their availability supports people's right to inclusion. European parking cards can be used by disabled people within the European Union and are recognised in the United States and Canada also. This means when people travel abroad they can bring their cards with them. Extending the scheme would ensure independence dignity and choice for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, as well as their carers.
Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for his kind remarks. I congratulate him on bringing forward this subject. I am sympathetic. I am not going to grant his wish today, but I think he has made a good case for what he has put forward. The matter is probably somewhat more complicated than the Deputy has said but I take it that the issue is brought up a sincere fashion and the case the Deputy has made is undoubtedly a strong one.
The provision and use of the disabled parking permit scheme is set out in section 35 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 and the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997, Sl 182 of 1997, as amended.
The scheme is administered by the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland. The disabled parking permit is available to people living in Ireland whose mobility is severely and permanently restricted, whether they are drivers or passengers, and to people who are registered blind. The permit is designed in accordance with EU legislation and is recognised in all EU member states. The permit is valid for two years from the date of issue.
In 2010, the Department conducted a review of the disabled parking scheme in consultation with various stakeholders. One of the issues looked at was eligibility for the scheme. Disability groups were unhappy at the fact that some people were being issued with disabled parking permits because they had a particular condition rather than a mobility impairment. For example, cardiac conditions that can severely limit mobility entitled people to a permit at that time. However, not all sufferers of the condition have a mobility impairment. As a result of the review, the scheme was revised such that permits are now given based on the level of mobility impairment rather than diagnosis of a particular condition.
The medical criteria for issue of the permit are strict and only persons whose mobility is severely and permanently restricted qualify. Therefore, people living with dementia and Alzheimer's disease would not necessarily qualify for a permit unless their mobility was severely and permanently restricted.
The primary legislation for the purposes of EU parking permits defines a disabled person as a person with a permanent condition or disability that severely restricts the ability of the person to walk. This definition was introduced into the Irish regulations by the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) Regulations 2011, Sl 239 of 2011. Primary medical certificate holders are considered to qualify having already met the criteria and are only required to submit a copy of their certificate with the application form. Similarly, those who are visually impaired are only required to submit confirmation that they are registered blind with the application form. For all other applicants, a medical practitioner must complete the medical section of the application describing the applicant's level of mobility and certifying the accuracy of same.
My Department remains in ongoing contact with the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland. Due to arguments made by the Deputy and others I remain open to considering improvements to the scheme that may be needed in the future.
Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his response. However, I am a little disappointed because while people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease are not disabled in one way, that is to say, physically, they are certainly disabled mentally.
Their carers have great difficulty. In the case of the lady who dropped off her husband at the hospital door, it was very fortunate that the man was not killed walking down into Sligo town, a mile and a half from the hospital. These are the problems people face when trying to get loved ones to appointments or even when going about their daily business. The person with dementia or Alzheimer's disease might be sitting in the car while the carer, husband, wife or whoever goes off to do a small bit of shopping. It is a serious concern. They worry that the person might leave the car. Access to disabled parking would be helpful for the people concerned. The Minister should give serious considerations to this matter. It would be a step in the right direction to make life easier for those who care for loved ones with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
6:50 pm
Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for his response. I know that he is disappointed. I am disappointed myself that I cannot do this at this stage. The overriding criterion is mobility. Until we change that criterion, to grant it to other cases, however deserving - I do not dispute for one moment how deserving they are - would be changing the criteria back to when they were changed to their current form in 2010. I can guarantee the Deputy that he is not the only one who has made representations on this matter, not just in respect of Alzheimer's disease and dementia but also in regard to other diseases, a diagnosis of which it has been suggested should qualify people to use disabled parking spaces. I will keep it under review. The numbers the Deputy mentioned are huge. To open it up to everybody suffering from diseases which are not mobility-affected would be impossible to implement. There just would not be enough spaces. The case the Deputy has made on behalf of those two particular groups is something I will look at again in the next few months.