People wishing to avail of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme, which provides tax relief on the purchase of specially constructed or adapted vehicles for someone with a disability, are being rejected at community level and then left waiting for an appeal date due to the inaccessibility of a sitting board. To qualify, applicants have to obtain a primary medical certificate via assessment at community level. It does not take a medical qualification to know that the language used for the six criteria is highly restrictive and excludes many people with genuine, severe and permanent disabilities from accessing supports. When deemed ineligible at the community medical officer level, people appeal the decision to the disabled drivers medical board of appeal, DDMBA, the board of which is made up of medical practitioners appointed by the Minister for Finance.

We need a scheme that looks at disability in terms of functions rather than pathology. We should ask about a person's level of function and what the person needs in the vehicle. They should qualify on that basis, whether they are autistic, epileptic or a stroke patient. We need to look at a graded system of support. Some people need big adaptations, such as a special vehicle in which a wheelchair can be placed as they cannot drive themselves, while others just need a specialist seat or a swivel seat. It does not have to mean a big benefit to everybody who qualifies for it.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The Government recognises the need to ensure that there are accessible transport options and appropriate mobility supports for people with disabilities. The disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme provides relief for 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 passenger and 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 or a board medical certificate issued by the DDMBA.

The DDMBA is expected to be re-established shortly, following the resignation of all members of the previous board in late 2021. Following three recruitment campaigns, five candidates have now been nominated by the Minister for Health and have just completed their Garda vetting. Department of Finance officials have held two meetings with the nominated members and are in contact with the National Rehabilitation Hospital about recommencing the appeals process. The disabled drivers scheme has been reviewed as part of a broader review of mobility supports carried out as part of the work of the national disability inclusion strategy and transport working group. This working group is under the chairmanship of the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Rabbitte. It held several meetings last year. A draft report was considered at its final meeting on 8 December and is currently being finalised. We expect it to be published soon.

I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which I accept has dragged on for far too long. We want to make meaningful progress on it in the very near future.

I thank the Taoiseach for his response but I remind everybody that three schemes were operating at one time. The other two schemes were suspended in 2013. It is now 2023 and these schemes have not been replaced, even though it was indicated at the time that alternatives would be devised. I understand that since December 2021, three previous members of the DDMBA have participated in a subgroup to review the disabled drivers and passengers scheme set up by the Department of Finance, lending their experience and expertise to devise a new and fairer scheme. My understanding from departmental officials is that it is agreed that its review will come under the national disability inclusion strategy.

Will the Taoiseach please clarify the current situation as regards applicants for the board? As I said, 400 people are on the waiting list, which is not fair. A constituent came to my office last week who is in a very serious position in respect of this issue. I ask the Minister for Finance please to get the board up and running as soon as he can. These people need help. It is not a massive amount of money. They and their families all need a little help.

I am afraid I do not have answers to all the Deputy's questions but I will let the Minister for Finance know that the matter was brought up today. We will see if we can come back to him with some more details. It has taken longer than anticipated to recruit the new board. We hope the board can make inroads into the backlog over the next couple of months. As the Deputy said, there are three different schemes.

The disabled drivers scheme has been reviewed, and we are waiting for the publication of the national disability inclusion strategy, NDIS, before deciding what steps should be taken next. The Department of Finance recognises that the scheme is no longer fit for purpose and is not in line with best international practice. We want to make sure there is a new scheme that works for people.