Vol. 548 No. 5
190 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Finance if, further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 128 and 130 of 7 February 2002, he will outline his proposals to expedite the completion of the report of the interdepartmental review group on the disabled drivers and disabled passengers (tax concessions) scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5506/02]
203 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the policy position adopted by his Department in the all-party working group on the disabled drivers and disabled passengers (tax concessions) scheme, 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5879/02]
204 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance when he expects to publish the report by the interdepartmental study group examining the disabled drivers and disabled passengers (tax concessions) scheme, 1994, and regulations; the length of time the group have been meeting; the length of time they propose to met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5880/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 190, 203 and 204 together.
The interdepartmental review of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers (tax concessions) scheme is ongoing. The group was set up in 1998 and is chaired by an official of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The group has met on 25 occasions to date. I understand that their work is at an advanced stage.
The work of the review group is complex. As part of its deliberations, the group has heard oral submissions over a period of five and a half days and has received over 260 written submissions from interested parties. While definitions of disability vary, I have been informed that there are up to 360,000 persons in Ireland who could be regarded as disabled to some degree or other. These include both persons with less severe medical conditions than those which are covered by the scheme and persons with medical conditions which are not covered by the scheme. The substantial tax benefits of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme make for considerable interest in and desire to be admitted to the scheme. Therefore, many factors have to be taken into account by the review group and many interests balanced. This work and analysis takes time.
The report will be published once the deliberative process is fully completed. Until such time, I believe that it is not appropriate to comment further on the actual workings of the review group.
