Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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200. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if persons with dementia and or their families, carers and so on are eligible for the parking permit to allow them to park in disabled parking spaces in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62270/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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.

The possibility of extending the eligibility criteria for the scheme to include people with certain forms of cognitive impairment, including dementia, has been raised on a number of occasions. The Department has consulted extensively with the joint issuing authorities of the scheme, who also represent people with disabilities, the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association, on this matter. In light of this consultation, there are currently no plans to change the criteria.

Issuing a large number of extra permits, by extending the eligibility criteria, would put the scheme under significant additional pressure and compromise the availability of disabled parking spaces to people with restricted mobility, for whom accessible parking is essential. The Department intends to undertake a review of the Disabled Parking Permit scheme in 2023 in which this issue may be considered further.