Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 May 1999

Vol. 504 No. 7

Written Answers. - Tax Reliefs.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

199 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Finance the number of applications in each of the years 1997 and 1998 under the disabled drivers and passengers tax concession scheme; the cost to the Exchequer in both of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12955/99]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information requested by the Deputy is as follows:

Year	No. of claims for tax relief on vehicles	Amount of tax repaid/remitted
1997	2,116	£10.3m
1998	2,556	£12.7m

In addition to the above, participants in the disabled drivers and disabled passenger scheme claim repayment of excise duty on fuel used in their vehicles. These claims are normally submitted at intervals of four months. The number of participants is estimated at 5,400 and the amount repaid was £1.5 million in 1997 and £1.7 million in 1998.

On the basis of the above, the total cost to the Exchequer for the years in question is £11.8 million in 1997 and £14.4 million in 1998. These figures do not include the cost of exemption from annual road tax.