Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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606. To ask the Minister for Health the reason an application by a person (details supplied) for a primary medical certificate was turned down; the qualifying criteria to receive a primary medical certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61564/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, a Primary Medical Certificate is one requirement for eligibility for the Revenue Commissioners Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme, which comes under the remit of the Department of Finance.

The medical criteria for a Primary Medical Certificate are set by the Department of Finance. An applicant must be permanently and severely disabled and satisfy at least one of the following medical criteria;

- Be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;

- 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;

- Be without one or both legs;

- Be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg;

- Have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.

In the event that a Primary Medical Certificate is not granted by the relevant Health Service Executive (HSE) Medical Officer, an appeal may be made to the independent Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, which comes under the remit of the Department of Finance.

As the issue raised by the Deputy concerning an individual application for a Primary Medical Certificate is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.