Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 578: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a disabled parking permit was refused in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37356/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Disabled Persons Parking Permits are issued by two organisations, the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) and the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI). The criteria under which these bodies decide whether to issue permits are established broadly under regulations and in more detail through Terms and Conditions for the Disabled Parking Scheme agreed between my Department and these organisations. The processing of individual applications within these criteria is a matter for the IWA and the DDAI. My Department has no role in processing such applications.The IWA and DDAI are not State agencies and, as such, are not subject to the governance of my Department.

However, as part of the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme, the IWA and DDAI both have an appeals process in cases where applications are rejected. I would advise the applicant to whom the Deputy's Question refers to avail of the appeal process of whichever of the two organisations has rejected his application. I would expect that the organisation would make clear its grounds for refusing the application in the context of the appeal, if it has not already done so, in notifying the individual of its refusal.