Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I would like further clarification on the provision of financial assistance in this area similar to that provided in the context of the home refurbishment incentive scheme which has been extended to landlords. In that case, landlords or private home owners do not get a VAT refund but they do get an allowance against their tax at the VAT rate of 13.5%. Last week, I made the point to the Minister that the equivalent of a VAT refund is being paid to people under the home refurbishment scheme through a roundabout mechanism while a couple in my constituency whose cars are eight years old and ten years old and who both earn minimal wages and have three young children have no cars to get to work tomorrow morning because of damage caused by petrol stretching. For them, Christmas has been cancelled. The Exchequer is taking in €400,000 on the back of the measure introduced to address petrol stretching. Surely, it is possible to introduce some type of innovative mechanism to assist families affected by damage caused to their cars owing to petrol stretching. I understand that the amount that could be provided would be only small and that it would not solve their problems, but it would be of some assistance to them in situations where their insurance provider, even though they have comprehensive insurance, refuses to cover them. In the case I mentioned, that family cannot afford comprehensive insurance and because they have had only third party insurance, they are not covered at all.

Deputy Mulherin referred to contaminated fuel having been taken off the market in the UK and the concern that that batch of fuel may have ended up here. There is genuine concern in relation to this matter. It is not good enough if that happened. People need answers. Last week, I also raised with the Minister the importance of evidence collected by Revenue, which does not result in it securing a criminal conviction, being made available to the 800 victims in order that they can take a class action against anyone who has been involved in this practice.

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