Vol. 545 No. 2
32 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the interdepartmental study group dealing with the 1994 Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concession) Regulations; if the study group has made its final report and recommendation; if there is a particular reason for the delay; if his attention has been drawn to the need for a favourable conclusion to the discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29987/01]
As the Deputy is aware, the disabled drivers' and disabled passengers' tax concessions scheme is being reviewed by an interdepartmental group which is being chaired by an official from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Officials from the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and my Department are also represented on the group. As part of its deliberations, the group has heard oral submissions over a period of five and a half days and has received more than 260 written submissions from interested parties.
The Deputy will appreciate that the work of the review group is complex. 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.
I have not received the final report and recommendations of the review group. I understand, however, that the work of the review group is at an advanced stage. As I have said in the past, I appreciate the difficulties faced in coping with everyday life by people who suffer from some form or other of physical disability. I assure the House that any proposals which may emanate from the review group, whether to widen the scope of the scheme or otherwise, will receive full consideration.
As a humane, caring and thinking man, will the Minister make a personal intervention to try to move the debate forward? This has been going on for the past three or four years and has not progressed in the past two years. Will he ask the review group to take on board the most serious and obvious disabilities and accommodate them in the first instance?
The group was only established in 1998.
That was three and a half years ago.
That is not yesterday.
This is a very complex area – otherwise I am sure the group would have reported much earlier. The Deputy will appreciate this is a very generous scheme and is very costly to the Exchequer. If we were starting again I am sure we would have taken the route taken by other European countries rather than pursuing this scheme. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will attest, when he had ideas in another position many years ago about reforming the scheme, all hell broke lose. The group has been teasing out all the problems. There are up to 360,000 persons who could claim some form of physical disability and it is not easy deciding which disabilities to include and which to exclude. I hope the group will be able to report in the near future.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
