Galway Bay fm newsroom - 467 applications for a primary medical certificate are waiting to be assessed in the Galway, Roscommon and Mayo area.
A primary medical cert is required to qualify for the disabled driver's tax and VRT exemptions.
Figures provided by the HSE to Galway West TD Eamon O'Cuiv reveal 181 such applications were processed in full in the West last year.
Nationwide, 1,858 applications are waiting to be assessed with 1,273 completed in 2020.
In the response to Deputy O'Cuiv's parliamentary question, the HSE says there are challenges in some areas in progressing assessments due to the redeployment of medical officers to the COVID vaccine programme and the management of outbreaks in residential care facilities.
It adds the HSE is currently revising its service recovery and restoration plans.
Deputy O'Cuiv says the delay is causing significant stress and worry to applicants with many in the West waiting for feedback since last March.
