Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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180. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will report on the Primary Medical Certificate Board; the number of applications that are waiting to be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60413/22]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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181. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the recruitment of the Primary Medical Certificates Appeals Board since the Boards resignation in 2021; the proposals that are being made to address the backlog in appeals made to the Primary Medical Certificates Appeals Board by people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60439/22]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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182. To ask the Minister for Finance when a review of the primary medical certificate scheme will be concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60708/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 182, inclusive together.

The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT on 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 order to qualify for relief, the applicant must hold a Primary Medical Certificate issued by the relevant Senior Area Medical Officer (SAMO) or a Board Medical Certificate issued by the Disabled Driver Medical Board of Appeal. To qualify for a Primary Medical Certificate an applicant must be permanently and severely disabled, and satisfy at least one of the six medical criteria.

Efforts are on-going to establish a new DDMBA. Following the resignation of all members of the previous Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, effective from 30th November 2021, two Expression of Interest campaigns have been held, seeking suitable candidates for the Board. The Department of Health leads on all actions and tasks with respect to the Expression of Interest Campaigns. Department of Finance officials provide support to the Department of Health in this matter.

The first campaign closed on 29th April. As there were insufficient suitable candidates arising from the first campaign, a second round was issued with a closing date of 5th July 2022. From these, three suitable candidates have successfully completed Garda vetting. Five members are legislatively required for a functional Board with a quorum of three needed for any appeal hearing. Two other candidates have very recently been deemed suitable and will now undergo Garda vetting.

Once Garda vetting is completed for the two aforementioned candidates, I will then be in a position to appoint them to the Board. I am hopeful that the new Board is up and running in January, and once operational, it will consider the best way of ensuring outstanding appeals are addressed as quickly as possible. 

As of 22nd November 2022, there are currently 726 people awaiting an appeal hearing with 382 of those dating back to 2021 and the remaining 344 people applying for an appeal this year. 

Requests for appeal hearings can be sent to the DDMBA secretary based in the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Appeal hearing dates will be issued once the new Board is in place. Assessments for the primary medical certificate, by the HSE, are continuing to take place.

Applicants deemed not to have met one of the six eligibility criteria required for a PMC can request another PMC assessment six months after an unsuccessful PMC assessment.