Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will amend the qualifying criteria for access to the disabled drivers and passengers' scheme to include individuals who have a scoliosis diagnosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22017/25]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Finance to consider the inclusion of scoliosis spinal fusion recipients in the disabled drivers and passenger's scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22333/25]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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109. To ask the Minister for Finance for an update on a report submitted to his Department by the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy Working Group on replacing the disabled drivers and disabled passenger's scheme; and when changes will be made. [22367/25]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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110. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the number of people being refused primary medical certificates to allow them to afford an adapted vehicle; if his attention has been further drawn to the impact the strict medical criteria of the certificate is having on people; if he will engage with colleagues on much needed changes to the criteria for the certificate, and when this will happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22369/25]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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113. To ask the Minister for Finance for the potential inclusion of people who have undergone scoliosis spinal fusion surgery within the disabled drivers and passenger's scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22459/25]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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118. To ask the Minister for Finance if persons who have undergone scoliosis spinal fusion surgery can qualify for the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme, which provides relief from VRT and VAT on the use of an adapted car, an exemption from motor tax, and an annual fuel grant; if he plans to alter the qualification criteria for the scheme to include scoliosis spinal fusion survivors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22549/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 107, 109, 110, 113 and 118 together.

The Deputy should note that my Department and I share concerns that the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme or DDS is no longer fit-for-purpose and believe it should be replaced with a needs-based, grant-led approach for necessary vehicle adaptations that could serve to improve the functional mobility of the individual.

However, this is very much a matter for Government as whilst my Department has oversight of the DDS, I do not have responsibility for disability policy.

As the Deputy is aware the National Disability & Inclusion Strategy or NDIS Transport Working Group recommended that the DDS be replaced with a modern, fit-for-purpose vehicular adaptation scheme. This is in line with the general view that we need to move away from a medical criteria-based approach to a needs-based approach.

Under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach, the sub-group convened to progress NDIS proposals for needs-based, grant-aided, modern vehicle adaptation supports to replace the DDS, have generated a report that has been submitted to the Department of the Taoiseach, for its consideration.

In that context, any further changes to the existing DDS would run counter to NDIS proposals to entirely replace the scheme with a modern, fit-for-purpose vehicular adaptation scheme.