Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Simon Harris, and thank him for coming to the House to address this issue. It is often the case that Ministers who do not have direct responsibility for the particular areas under discussion come to the House to deliver the good or bad news. It is nice, therefore, to have a Minister before us who has direct responsibility for the issue being raised.

A scheme that has been in place for many years provides that mobility impaired persons may secure an exemption from the payment of value added tax, VAT, and vehicle registration tax, VRT, on vehicles that are purchased and need to be adapted for wheelchair users and others. It is a worthwhile and appropriate scheme in that it provides an incentive for people with a mobility impairment to become more independent and facilitates greater equality by creating a level playing pitch. The problem with the scheme is that it does not apply to other people who also have significant disabilities, specifically blind or visually impaired persons who may not legally drive. I refer to people whose eyesight is such that they are defined as being legally blind and who will, therefore, never be able to drive. Such persons have the same mobility and equality requirements as everyone else.

To give an example, if the husband of a blind or visually impaired woman purchases a car to be used to support his wife, the couple is not entitled to a VAT refund or an exemption from VRT, which is unfair. There is a strong case for extending the exemption on the basis that it would create a more equal society by affording to visually impaired and blind people the same benefits as are available to wheelchair users and others with mobility impairments.

One might expect that I would have been aware of this anomaly but it was only recently brought to my attention by a lady with a visual impairment who did not receive a discount when she bought a car, whereas one of her friends, who is a wheelchair user, received a significant discount when purchasing a car. There is a compelling case for extending the scheme to blind and visually impaired people in the next budget. This step towards equality should be taken in the lifetime of this Government.