Disabled Drivers Association urges the Public: ‘ Don’t Invade My Space’ while also calling for urgent reform of the ‘archaic’ and ‘ flawed’ Disabled Drivers and Passengers Tax Relief Scheme

Galway, Sat 12 April 2025 – At its AGM in the Connacht Hotel in Galway, the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) launched its new awareness video campaign aimed at tackling the ongoing misuse of accessible parking bays. Watch the video's here:

Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with responsibility for Disability was a guest speaker at the Association’s AGM on Saturday 12th April 2025 in Galway.   

Disability activist James Casserly and his mother, Cllr Vicki Casserly of South Dublin County Council, are featured in the Association’s awareness video campaign.  Cllr Casserly was there on the day to officially launch it with the Minister.

Geraldine Lavelle, disability rights campaigner, neuroscientist, and author, was also a guest speaker, who highlighted the issues disabled drivers face daily—from fraudulent parking permit misuse to the inadequacy of the DDS scheme.

Alongside this, the Association renewed its urgent call for Government action on the outdated Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Tax Relief Scheme (DDS).

The current medical criteria for obtaining a Primary Medical Certificate to qualify for the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Tax Relief Scheme is extremely restrictive and unfairly narrow. For example, a person with a single-arm amputation doesn’t qualify. It’s archaic and  flawed,” said Richard Ryder, DDAI’s communications and marketing manager. “We need a modern, needs-based, grant-led approach to vehicle adaptations— not a scheme that has seen little meaningful change since 1968.

A Feb 2023 report by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth into enhanced transport and mobility support options for people with disabilities expressed dissatisfaction with the current DDS scheme as designed and implemented. When responding to Dail questions in Jan 2025, Minister Jack Chambers, Department of Public Expenditure, Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform said that the Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme  is no longer fit-for-purpose and believes 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.

Richard said, “Over two years have passed since the publication of the Report, and we are still no closer to implementing such an approach. We need these reforms to take place as a matter of urgency.”

Abuse of Accessible Parking Bays: A Daily Threat

The AGM also spotlighted rising tensions around illegal parking in accessible parking bays. According to a DDAI survey of over 2,600 people last year,  the fear of verbal or physical abuse is the number one reason people avoid challenging those parked illegally.

But there is hope—and a solution. Ryder promoted the mobile phone Text Alert Scheme, already active in Gorey, Lucan, and Rathfarnham, as a smart, safe alternative, with a sign displaying the bay number and a mobile phone number. If someone is parked in one of those bays without a permit or is misusing the permit, people can text the bay number to alert the traffic warden.   “94% of people surveyed support this system. It’s simple. You spot abuse, text the bay number and location. The warden is alerted—no confrontation necessary.”

Councillor Vicki Casserly championed the Text Alert Scheme in Lucan and Rathfarnham villages, having witnessed its successful operation in Gorey, Co. Wexford. She has been assisting the Disabled Drivers Association in approaching councillors to bring forward motions to implement a pilot Text Alert Scheme in their electoral areas.

Cllr Casserly said, “The Text Alert Scheme has proven to be such a success in tackling misuse of parking bays in the South Dublin villages of Lucan and Rathfarnham and Gorey in Wexford. It’s not about catching people out – it’s a simple, cost-effective way to protect access for drivers with EU parking permits and I would strongly urge every other local authority to pilot it in their area. 

A Text Alert Scheme in your area means that you don’t need to put yourself at risk to call out illegal parking, let the text do the talking,” Cllr Casserly concluded.

DDAI is now urging all local councils nationwide to adopt the Scheme.

Voices for Change

Guest speaker Geraldine Lavelle, an award-winning advocate and author, shared her personal experiences of navigating daily life as a disabled driver.  Geraldine said, ''The ability to drive has had a profound and positive impact on my life, improving my ability to work, to socialise, and to manage my daily activities without relying on others. 

People with disabilities don't enjoy asking for adjustments.  We would just prefer if things were accessible in the first place and that includes having enough accessible parking bays, especially in popular areas. It is disheartening to arrive somewhere and having to turn around and go home because there are either no accessible bays, there’s illegal parking or what is often worse, the space has been encroached upon, making it impossible for me to use. I would urge drivers not to invade any space in an accessible parking bay for this reason.  I fully support the Association’s campaign for a Text Alert Scheme in every county as a safe deterrent to combat illegal parking,” Geraldine continued.

Fighting Permit Fraud

DDAI Chair Seamus Reidy welcomed a major step forward: it's now a criminal offence to provide false information when applying for or renewing a disabled parking permit, punishable by fines up to €2,500 or six months in prison.

“Accessible parking is a necessity , not a luxury,” said Reidy. “Fraud and misuse deprives people with disabilities of their independence. That’s why we fought so hard for these penalties, working with the Department of Transport, An Garda Síochána, and the Irish Wheelchair Association.”

The Disabled Drivers Association (DDAI) based in Mayo is Ireland’s leading charity for disabled drivers and passengers on a national level. It promotes independence and equal opportunity through mobility, education and training.  It administers the EU parking permit (blue badge) on behalf of the Department of Transport. www.ddai.ie