merrion street

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has overhauled the Disabled Parking Permits Scheme with a view to increasing the availability of disabled parking bays for those who need them most.

The revamp follows a comprehensive review of the existing scheme, carried out in association with the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers’ Association.

Speaking today Minister Varadkar said...

This is the most significant and positive shake-up of the Disabled Parking Scheme since it began 12 years ago. The new changes will introduce tangible, practical improvements in the way the scheme operates. It will reduce the fraudulent use of permits, give new powers to local authorities and, most importantly, make sure that more specific disabled parking bays are available to those who need them most

Key changes include:

• Changing the medical eligibility criteria for the Disabled Person's Parking permit;
• New measures to reduce the fraudulent use of permits;
• An increase in the size of some types of parking bays;
• The introduction of new types of disabled parking bays;
• Giving powers to local authorities to introduce time restricted parking spaces;
• New set-down and pick-up only disabled spaces.

The Minister has signed the necessary Regulations to bring in the changes on 1st June 2011