Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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145. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expected to receive the priority review of the disabled drivers and disabled passenger’s scheme. [35756/22]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT on the purchase and use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain charitable organisations.

In response to recent concerns raised around access to the scheme and the relevant qualifying criteria, my colleague, Minister of Finance, Paschal Donohoe T.D committed to undertaking a comprehensive review of the scheme.

Following engagement with Minister Donohoe last year, it was decided to use the Transport Working Group, which was established in 2020 to advance Action 104 of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy, to assist with the review of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme. However, actual legislative and budgetary responsibility for the Scheme continues to lie with the Department of Finance, which will be able to address more granular queries in relation to the Scheme.

The objective of the Transport Working Group is to coordinate action on transport provision for people with disabilities across Government. Action 104 of the NDIS commits that a review will be conducted of existing transport schemes, and a coordinated plan will be developed to enhance the options for transport to work or employment for people with disabilities.

The Transport Working Group met at the end of January at a meeting which I chaired. The review of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme was discussed at this meeting. The work of the Transport Group was also discussed at the April meeting of the Steering Group for the National Disability Inclusion Strategy.

The current focus of the Group's work is on scoping the provision of transport supports across government departments and public bodies, with a view to assessing gaps or anomalies in provision.

Further meetings of the Transport Working Group will be scheduled in the coming weeks.