Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1468. To ask the Minister for Health if children with autism are eligible to apply for a primary medical certificate; and, if not, if he intends to change the eligibility criteria to include people diagnosed with autism [16816/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme, operated by the Revenue Commissioners, falls under the remit of the Minister for Finance. To qualify for the scheme, an applicant must have a Primary Medical Certificate. To qualify for a Primary Medical Certificate, an applicant must be permanently and severely disabled within the terms of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994 and satisfy a range of conditions.

The extent of the involvement of health personnel in the scheme relates to making a professional clinical determination as to whether an individual applicant satisfies the medical criteria set out in the Department of Finance regulations. This determination is undertaken by Senior Medical Officers for the relevant local Health Service Executive (HSE) administrative Community Health Organisation, on behalf of the Revenue Commissioners. These HSE personnel have no role in setting or amending the criteria.

A successful applicant is provided with a Primary Medical Certificate. An unsuccessful applicant can appeal the HSE's Senior Medical Officer's decision to the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, which is under the auspices of the Minister for Finance. The Appeal Board makes a new clinical determination in respect of the applicant.