Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all my colleagues this morning for their expressions of support and solidarity. It is very much appreciated. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, who was here for a different Commencement matter this morning but out of decency and courtesy sat and listened and had to hear me give out.

I want to raise the issue of Mr. David Dignan, who is a 39-year-old man from Moate in Westmeath. He had a motorcycle accident in 2019 when he was driving over to see his mother and was very seriously injured. He acquired a brain injury and catastrophic injuries to his left arm, which has since been amputated. He is awaiting the fitting of a prosthetic robotic arm. Unfortunately, he was a commercial diver before this accident happened. He is now unable to make a living and relies on disability allowance. One simple thing is that he needs a car to be able to get around. Because of the rules that are in place, which are 60 years old, he does not qualify for the disabled drivers tax relief scheme. The rules were drawn up 60 years ago and have not been updated since then. In fact, many of the members of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal resigned in protest at this last year. He is appealing, as am I, that those criteria be updated to reflect how we live in the 21st century. The loss of one arm is sufficient grounds to be considered a disabled driver. I do not think people are going to try to exploit the scheme because they have lost an arm. It is a really bizarre and arbitrary rule and it is very unfair to David Dignan and his family. I ask that we move this forward in some way either by way of debate or by raising it with the relevant Minister.