Vol. 548 No. 5
52 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Finance when the review group on the disabled drivers and disabled passengers, tax concessions, will present its report; when the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5524/02]
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. I have not received the final report and recommendations of the review group but its work is at an advanced stage. The House can be assured that the report will be published once the deliberative process is fully completed.
The Deputy will appreciate that 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 people with less severe medical conditions than those which are covered by the scheme and persons with medical conditions which are not covered by it. 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. Many factors must be taken into account by the review group and many interests balanced. This work and analysis takes time.
