Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2013
212. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance if the excise rebate on diesel announced in Budget 2013 for haulage companies will be extended to passenger transport companies; if excluding transport companies from this is in violation of any EU law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2568/13]
View answerThe proposal to introduce an auto-diesel excise duty relief for licensed road hauliers that I announced in the Budget is confined to licensed and tax compliant hauliers. However, I have received a number of submissions from, and on behalf of, private coach operators seeking to have this relief extended to them. I will consider these proposals and the level of the rebate in the context of the Finance Bill. It is worth noting that one of key arguments for introducing a rebate for the haulage industry is the fact that a large quantity of fuel purchased by this industry is purchased abroad thus generating no tax revenue for the State. A rebate should encourage hauliers to start purchasing their fuel in Ireland thus offsetting some of the costs involved. Such an argument does not exist for the most part for the coach industry.
The fuel rebate scheme proposed is governed by the terms of Council Directive 2003/96/EC of 27 October 2003 which limits its application to auto diesel used in defined categories of road vehicles.
