Written answers

Tuesday, 16 June 2020

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Parking Regulations

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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839. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to review and-or expand the medical eligibility criteria for parking permits or cards for disabled persons with the aim to accommodate those with an intellectual disability or developmental disorder, that on foot of an occupational therapy or general practitioner report are identified as persons who for safety reasons would benefit from disabled parking bays closer to shops and services. [10844/20]

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Disabled Parking Permit (also known as the European Parking Card or Disabled Parking Badge) is available to people living in Ireland whose mobility is severely restricted, whether they are drivers or passengers, and also to those who are registered blind.  In 2010 the Department conducted a review of the Disabled Parking Scheme, in consultation with various stakeholders and one of the issues examined was eligibility for the scheme.  As a result of the review the scheme was revised so that permits are now given on the basis of mobility impairment rather than the diagnosis of a particular condition or illness.  This is in line with the original intention of the scheme.

The possibility of extending the eligibility criteria for the scheme to include people with certain intellectual, developmental and other invisible disabilities has been raised on a number of occasions and the Department has consulted extensively with the joint issuing authorities of the scheme, the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) and the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWC), on this matter. In light of these consultations there are currently no plans to change the criteria. 

I would particularly emphasise to the Deputy that issuing a large number of extra permits by extending the eligibility criteria would in fact put the existing scheme under significant additional pressure and compromise the availability of disabled parking spaces in general, thus disadvantaging those with restricted mobility who are currently eligible. 

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