Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should note that I have no role in relation to the granting or refusal of Primary Medical Certificates or Board Medical Certificates. The HSE and the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal (DDMBA) are independent in their clinical determinations.

At an appeal hearing the Board reviews the decision by a HSE Primary/Principal Medical Officer and determines if an appellant does, or does not meet, one of the six medical criteria as set out in the Finance Act 2020, which are:

• be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;

• be wholly without the use of one leg and almost wholly without the use of the other leg such that the applicant is severely restricted as to movement of the lower limbs;

• be without both hands or without both arms;

• be without one or both legs;

• be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg;

• have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.

Only if an appellant meets one of the six eligibility criteria will the Board issue a Board Medical Certificate.

The Board has prioritised the waiting list using clinically-based criteria. The Board are working to address the backlog as quickly as possible.