Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue and for his consistent advocacy on this matter and other matters around genuine inclusion for people with declared disabilities. As he highlighted, far too many people are not in a position to work because we have not put the correct structures in place. The Senator has been a consistent advocate for making sure there is better and proper inclusion.

The disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme provides relief from VAT and vehicle registration tax up to certain limits, an exemption from motor tax and a grant in respect of fuel for an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities. In order to qualify for the scheme, the applicant must hold a primary medical certificate issued by the relevant senior area medical officer or a board medical certificate issued by the disabled driver medical board of appeal. To qualify for a primary medical certificate, an applicant must be permanently and severely disabled and satisfy at least one of the six medical criteria set out in the Finance Act 2020. However, we must improve on that. The national disability inclusion strategy transport working group, NDIS TWG, comprising members from a range of Departments, agencies and disabled persons' organisations, was tasked with reviewing all Government-funded transport and mobility supports for those with a disability, including the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme. Officials from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth led the work of the group.

As part of its engagement in this process, the Department of Finance established an information-gathering criteria subgroup at the start of 2022. Its membership comprised former members of the disabled drivers medical board of appeal and principal medical officers in the HSE. Its purpose was to capture their experiences, expertise and perspectives regarding the practical operational and administrative challenges of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme as well as to explore what alternative vehicular arrangements were available for those with mobility issues based on an international review of what is possible. The work of the criteria subgroup led to the production of five papers and a technical annex submitted to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in July 2022. The main conclusion of the criteria subgroup was that the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme needs to be replaced with a fit-for-purpose, needs-based vehicular adaptation scheme in line with best international practice. This is what the Senator is calling for here today.

The NDIS TWG final report was published on 24 February 2023. It welcomed the proposal put forward by the Department of Finance and the criteria subgroup that the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme should be replaced with a needs-based, grant-aided vehicular adaptation scheme and indicated that the proposal was a clear deliverable on which work could begin in the relatively near future. The NDIS TWG final report also noted in its conclusion that the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme is outdated and needs to be addressed as a matter of priority. However, the final report did not set out next steps. Subsequently, it was decided that the implementation of the NDIS TWG report needed to be considered. As a result, under the aegis of the Department of Taoiseach, which shows the importance of the issue, officials from relevant Departments and agencies are meeting to discuss the best way forward. Department of Finance officials are proactively engaging with the work of this group of this senior officials as an important step in considering ways to replace the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme in the context of broader Government consideration of integrated transport and mobility supports for those with a disability. Two meetings have been held - the first in July and the second more recently at the beginning of November. There are proposals with the Department of Taoiseach and Department officials are currently considering material supplied after these meetings.

This is very much a live issue. The Senator's Commencement matter could not be more timely and important. His perspectives on how this should work are welcome here this morning. I will certainly bring them to Department of Finance officials on his behalf.