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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 4

Written Answers. - Proposed Legislation.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

276 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Finance the plans, if any, he has to amend the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations, 1994, in order to assist people who are disabled by conditions including arthritis or osteoporosis as the current regulations are very restrictive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18729/98]

The medical criteria for the purposes of the tax concession under section 92 of the Finance Act, 1989, as amended, are set down in Regulation 3 of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994. Six different types of disablement are listed under the regulations and a qualifying person must satisfy one or more of them. Where the person meets the medical criteria, the local director of community care and medical officer of health issues a primary medical certificate for presentation to the Revenue Commissioners. Where the issue of a certificate is refused, the person concerned may appeal that decision to the Disabled Drivers' Medical Board of Appeal, an independent board, whose decision is final.

The current list of medical criteria was drawn up following a wideranging consultation with all interested parties, including organisations representing the disabled. The scope of the medical criteria for qualification was looked at in considerable detail in the course of the review, bearing in mind the various representations which had been received seeking the extension of the benefits of the scheme to many additional categories of disabled people. I should emphasise that the scheme is targeted at those people who are severely and permanently disabled with regard to physical mobility.

It is the nature and the extent of the disability which determines a person's eligibility under the scheme rather than the circumstances which have given rise to that disability. To include a particular medical condition rather than base eligibility on the six different types of disablement could fundamentally change the targeted nature of the scheme and significantly increase the cost to the Exchequer. It is estimated that the scheme will cost in the region of £15 million this year.
The operation of the scheme is kept under review and the matters raised by the Deputy will be examined in that regard.
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