Vol. 533 No. 3
170 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the conditions under which blind persons can qualify for the tax concessions on cars and petrol; when the review of these schemes was originally due to report; and if he will make a statement on the merit of relaxing the terms of the schemes to facilitate persons who are blind. [8679/01]
It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme.
The medical criteria for the purposes of the tax concessions under this scheme are set out in Statutory Instrument No 353, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Six different types of disablement are listed under the regulations and a qualifying person must satisfy one or more of them. The six types of disablement are as persons who are wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs; persons wholly without the use of one of their legs and almost wholly without the use of the other leg such that they are severely restricted as to movement of their lower limbs; persons without both hands or without both arms; persons without one or both legs; persons wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost wholly without the use of one leg; and persons having the medical condition of dwarfism and who have serious difficulties of movement of the lower limbs.
The disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme is under review by an interdepartmental committee under the chair of an official from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The group is examining all aspects of the scheme, including the medical criteria. There was no definite date for the completion of this review. I understand the work of the committee is ongoing. It would be imprudent of me to consider any amendments to the scheme until such time as the review is completed and its content is given due consideration. For the Deputy's information, the blind car owners and users association was one of the groups who made an oral submission to the committee.
It should also be noted that there are other State funded schemes aimed at mobility, namely a mobility allowance and a motorised transport grant, both of which are payable by the health boards.
171 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Finance when it is expected that the new peace programme and INTERREG III will become oper ational; the funding available for each programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8731/01]
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the new Programme for Peace and Reconciliation was approved by the European Commission on 22 March. The programme was signed in Belfast by the Commissioner for Regional Policy, Michel Barnier. The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Deputy D. Ahern, represented the Government at the signing of the programme. The next phase of the programme's development involves the production of the programme complement. The programme complement sets out a range of implementation issues, including the method for delivery of funds, detailed measure descriptions, and project selection criteria. This phase of development must be completed within three months of the Commission's approval of the programme. My expectation is that elements of the peace programme will be launched in early summer.
Last October I put in place a £2 million funding package to enable community based projects to continue in operation until the new programme comes on stream. My understanding is that the initiative has been widely welcomed and is meeting all immediate needs. Similar arrangements have been put in place in Northern Ireland in recent weeks.
In relation to the Ireland-Northern Ireland INTERREG IIIA Programme, the programme was lodged with the European Commission last November following approval of the proposals by myself and the Minister for Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland, Mr Mark Durkan, MLA, at a meeting in the North South Ministerial Council. The Commission raised a number of technical matters with the authorities North and South earlier this year and these have been resolved to the Commission's satisfaction. I am currently awaiting a formal response from the Commission on the programme.
Authorities North and South working under the aegis of the special EU programmes body will need to consider the Commission's response before detailed negotiations are undertaken with the Commission. Both Administrations are anxious that these negotiations be completed quickly. In a similar manner to the peace programme, detailed implementation procedures will be contained in the programme complement and this phase of development can be completed only once the programme is agreed. I am hopeful that the INTERREG programme will be available from late summer.
Similar timeframes will apply to the delivery of the Ireland-Wales, Atlantic Area, North West Europe and Inter-regional INTERREG programmes.
|
Programme |
EU allocation 1 |
Including Matching Funds 2 |
|
(Million ) |
(Million ) |
|
|
Peace & Reconciliation Programme |
106.0 |
141.3 |
|
Ireland/Northern Ireland INTERREG IIIA |
53.6 |
71.5 |
