Eligibility for the Primary Medical Cert must be extended to the blind, and those with certain medical conditions which prevent them from driving, so as not to leave such people "reliant on the goodwill of family and friends".
This is the view of Fianna Fáil Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte, who says the Primary Medical Cert, which is used to provide tax relief for drivers and passengers with disabilities, is too restrictive as it "discriminates against" the blind and those with medical conditions which prohibit them from driving.
Previously they had been catered for under the Motorised Transport Grant, but this was closed to new entrants in 2013 by the previous Fine Gael-Labour administration. According to Dep Rabbitte, this has left many "in limbo", particularly for those living in rural areas "where the public transport system is limited or even non-existent".
"They are reliant on the goodwill of family and friends to bring them to work, to appointment or merely to get from A to B," she said. "This is an unacceptable situation, which needs to be addressed.
Dep Rabbitte is calling on the next administration to set up a review of the current criteria of the Primary Medical Cert, and to include a provision for the blind people and others excluded from driving. "These are people who just want to go about their daily business," she said, "but because of the discriminatory nature of the current scheme are unable to do so."
