Vol. 525 No. 1
7 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Finance the progress of the review of the Disabled Drivers and Passengers (Tax Concession) Regulations; if his attention has been drawn to the operational problems associated with the completion of the primary medical certificate; the difficulties being experienced by the health board doctors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23432/00]
As I have informed the House on a number of occasions, including in the Adjournment debate on this issue last week, the inter-departmental review group, under the chair of an official from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform was set up to review the Disabled Drivers' and Disabled Passengers' (Tax Concessions) Scheme. The principal issue of concern expressed by the public in connection with the relief under the scheme was, and still is, in relation to the medical criteria. Arguably, the continual pressure to extend the scheme is driven by its valuable relief, giving access to tax free cars and motor fuel, in effect, for life.
I understand that over 250 written submissions were received by the review group. Oral submissions were heard over a three day period in early May 2000 and over a 2½ day period in September. I have been informed that a doctor from the Eastern Region Health Authority, an official from the Association of Health Boards and a senior medical officer from the Mid-Western Health Board made oral submissions to the group. The Medical Board of Appeal also made an oral submission. The contributions made by those officials in particular, who are familiar with the operation of the scheme on a day-to-day basis, will be valuable to the review group in its deliberations.
All the written and oral submissions are now being examined by the group and I hope that they will help in the finalisation of the report. The review group has given no indication yet of when its work will be completed.
This question has been raised virtually every month for the past year. If memory serves me correctly when last the Minister answered questions in June, he indicated he expected the review group's report would be available during the summer. Is it now in never never land? Has it been postponed indefinitely?
I recall saying that but I hope to have it as soon as possible. It has been going on for some time. The group is not chaired by my Department but by an official from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I hope to receive a reply in the near future. They have received a number of written and oral submissions and the matter is quite complicated. As the Deputy rightly points out, there was a study made of parliamentary questions that I replied to since coming to the Department of Finance and, apart from decentralisation, this matter was the second highest in terms of parliamentary questions. The highest number of replies in this area were probably to the Deputy. There is considerable interest in the matter and I await the report.
