Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress in regard to his proposals for the implementation of recommendations contained in the report of the interdepartmental study group on the disabled driver-disabled passengers tax concession regulation 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18693/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The disabled drivers and disabled passengers tax concessions scheme is open to people with disabilities who meet the specified criteria and have obtained a primary medical certificate to that effect from the local branch of the Health Service Executive. Where the issue of the required certificate is refused, this can be appealed to the disabled drivers medical board of appeal, an independent body, whose decision is final. The medical criteria for the purposes of the tax concessions under this scheme relate to six different types of disablement and a qualifying person must satisfy one or more of them.

An individual who obtains a primary medical certificate qualifies for remission or repayment of vehicle registration tax, VRT, repayment of value added tax, VAT, on the purchase of the vehicle and a repayment of VAT on the cost of adaptation of the vehicle. Repayment of the excise duty on fuel used in the motor vehicle and exemption from annual road tax to local authorities are also allowed.

An interdepartmental review group was convened to review the operation of the scheme. The terms of reference of the group were to examine the operation of the existing scheme, including the difficulties experienced by the various groups and individuals involved with it, both on an administrative and user level, and to consider the feasibility of alternative schemes, with a view to assisting the Minister for Finance in determining the future direction of the scheme.

The group's report, published on my Department's website in July 2004, sets out in detail the genesis and development of the scheme. It examines the current benefits, the qualifying medical criteria, the Exchequer costs, relationship with other schemes and similar schemes in other countries. The report also makes a number of recommendations, both immediate and long-term, encompassing the operation of the appeals process and options for the future development of the scheme.

Following the report's immediate recommendations concerning the appeals process, amendments to the regulations governing the scheme were made by my predecessor in July 2004 and by me in April 2005 to improve the operation of the appeals process. These amendments included providing for an expansion of the panel of medical practitioners serving on the medical board of appeal from three to ten. This will substantially reduce the waiting time for appellants.

In respect of the long-term recommendations, given the scale and scope of the scheme, further changes can only be made after careful consideration. For this reason, the Government decided in June 2004 that the Minister for Finance will consider the recommendations contained in the report of the interdepartmental review group in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to the existing and prospective cost of the scheme.

This Government is committed to supporting and reinforcing equal participation in society by people with disabilities. I remind the Deputy that disability was one of the priority areas where I substantially increased investment in budget 2005. Any changes to this scheme will be considered in the context of the overall development of policy in this area.