Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 56: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the criteria for primary medical certificates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19496/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The disability criteria for eligibility for the tax concessions under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme are set out in the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994.

The initial application for a Primary Medical Certificate is made to the Senior Medical Officer of the relevant local Health Service Executive administrative area. To qualify for a Primary Medical Certificate, an applicant must be severely and permanently disabled and satisfy one of the following conditions:

(a) be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;

(b) be wholly without the use of one leg and almost wholly without the use of the other leg such that the applicant is severely restricted as to movement of the lower limbs;

(c) be without both hands or without both arms;

(d) be without one or both legs;

(e) be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg;

(f) have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.

An information booklet (VRT 7), which outlines the relevant regulations, is available on the Revenue website at www.revenue.ie.

A special Interdepartmental Review Group reviewed the operation of the Disabled Drivers Scheme. It examined the current benefits, the qualifying medical criteria, the Exchequer costs, relationship with other schemes and similar schemes in other countries. The report also made a number of recommendations, both immediate and long-term, referring respectively to the operation of the appeals process and options for the future development of the scheme. The Group's report is published on my Department's website.