Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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177. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consideration will be given to extending the disabled persons' parking permit scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63709/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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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 invisible disabilities, including autism, 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 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.