Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

216. To ask the Minister for Finance when the Medical Board of Appeal for Disabled Drivers will be appointed (details supplied). [23970/23]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 (DDMBA). 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, as set out in the Finance Act 2020.

In the event that a PMC is not granted by the relevant Senior Area Medical Officer an appeal may be made to the independent Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal (DDMBA).

At an appeal hearing the Board reviews the decision by a HSE Primary/Senior Area Medical Officer and determines if an appellant does, or does not meet, one of the six medical criteria. Only if an appellant meets one of the six eligibility criteria will the Board issue a Board Medical Certificate.

I have no role in relation to the granting or refusal of PMCs and the HSE and the Medical Board of Appeal must be independent in their clinical determinations.

Following the resignation of all previous DDMBA members in November 2021, I had hoped that I would be in a position to establish a new DDMBA and recommence the appeals process by this point.

With respect to the recruitment of new members, as background five members are legislatively required for a functional Board with a quorum of three needed for any appeal hearing. The Department of Health has led on all actions and tasks with respect to Expression of Interest Campaigns to recruit candidates. Department of Finance officials have provided support to the Department of Health in this matter. Active recruitment efforts began shortly after the resignation of all members in November 2021, with the first Expression of Interest Campaign launched in January 2022. By November 2022 after three recruitment campaigns, five individuals had been nominated by the Minister of Health, pending successful completion of Garda vetting of two final candidates. These candidates successfully completed Garda vetting in January 2023.

Engagement began in December 2021 with the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH), to ascertain the conditions for their continued hosting of the new DDMBA. In February 2023, the National Rehabilitation Hospital (that has hosted the DDMBA since 2000) indicated their intention to withdraw their services with immediate effect. Finance and Health officials are actively seeking to implement new arrangements, including engaging with the NRH. As there are a range of requirements and complex issues involved this may take some time.

In March 2023, one nominated member of the DDMBA resigned for personal reasons. The Department of Health with support from Department of Finance officials launched another Expression of Interest Campaign on 3^rdApril 2023 with a closing date of 28^thApril 2023. One candidate has been interviewed.

Requests for appeal hearings can still be sent to the DDMBA secretary based in the National Rehabilitation Hospital.

Assessments for the primary medical certificate, by the HSE, are continuing to take place. In this regard, an important point to make is that even though there has been no appeal mechanism since the previous Board resigned, applicants who have been deemed not to have met one of the six eligibility criteria required for a PMC are entitled to request another PMC assessment six months after an unsuccessful PMC assessment.