THE SCHEME THAT helps motorists with a disability with the costs of adapting their car is “no longer fit-for-purpose” according to Finance Minister Jack Chambers.
The minister has governance and oversight of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Scheme, which aims to assist those with disabilities make adaptations to their cars through government tax breaks.
The maximum VRT and VAT relief available is €10,000 for disabled drivers and €16,000 for disabled passengers. Extensively adapted vehicles can avail of €22,000, while wheelchair accessible adaptations is €48,000 for a disabled driver and €32,000 for a disabled passenger.
There have been criticisms of how the scheme works, with Fine Gael’s newest senator Nikki Bradley telling The Journal recently that there is a “big issue” with primary medical certificates, which are required if someone wants to avail of the grants.
The senator said she was very concerned to read an article in The Irish Times whereby a woman said she was deemed ‘not disabled enough’ to avail of the certificate as she is a single-arm amputee, and therefore can’t access the disabled drivers’ scheme.
Answering a parliamentary question on the matter, the finance minister indicated that changes to the scheme could be on the way in the autumn budget.
He said he shared the concerns raised by Minister of State Niall Collins, who had asked the minister about possible changes to the scheme through a parliamentary question.
Chambers said: “I 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, he said it is very much a matter for government, and while his department has oversight of the scheme, it does not have responsibility for disability policy.
The National Disability & Inclusion Strategy recommended that the schmee be replaced with a modern, fit-for-purpose vehicular adaptation scheme, said Chambers, who added that this is in line with the general view that there is a need to move away from a medical criteria-based approach to a needs-based approach.
He said the next National Disability Strategy is currently under development, and will advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
“Transport has been identified as a strong point of focus and is intended to be a pillar therein,” said Chambers, who stated that officials and relevant agencies have been meeting to discuss how the scheme can be replaced.
Consideration is underway to the proposal for the replacement scheme to be a needs-based, grant-led approach for necessary vehicle adaptations.
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