Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

As with previous speakers, I wish everybody here a happy Christmas and thank the ushers and other staff of the Houses for being of such assistance, particularly to new Deputies in our first term. This is appreciated and I hope they will enjoy a deserved rest.

As the Dáil session concludes, it is important to consider the people for whom Christmas will be an extremely difficult period due to unemployment, reductions in wages and incomes, cuts in public services, difficulties in paying bills and mortgages and other circumstances arising from the extremely grave economic situation we face as a result of relentless austerity. It is important to state this because however hard Members believe they have worked, and notwithstanding my differences with other Deputies I accept they have worked hard, other people are suffering considerably more difficulties than anyone in this Chamber as they try to survive and sustain themselves.

I will raise two issues on legislation. I was contacted yesterday by wheelchair users and the Irish Wheelchair Association who appealed to me to ask whether a legislative provision has been introduced to change the disabled driver and passenger tax relief scheme to provide that disabled drivers will no longer benefit from the scheme if they buy or own cars with an engine size exceeding 2,000 cc. Wheelchair users tell me this measure will cause extreme problems because they often need larger cars. I understand the proposed change is due to take effect on 1 January 2012. Will the Tánaiste indicate whether it is a budget or legislative change and, if not, where it comes from?

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