Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Finance the number, make and model of vehicles that have been afforded vehicle registration tax relief on environmental criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18610/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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There are two environmental criteria on which a vehicle may receive vehicle registration tax relief — each at the rate of 50% — that it is (i) a series production hybrid electric vehicle or (ii) a series production flexible fuel vehicle. "Hybrid electric vehicle" means a vehicle that derives its motive power from an electric motor and an internal combustion engine and is capable of being driven on electric propulsion alone for a material part of its normal driving cycle. "Flexible fuel vehicle" means a vehicle that derives its motive power from an internal combustion engine that is capable of using a blend of ethanol and petrol, where such blend contains a minimum of 85 per cent ethanol.

I am informed by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners that the respective make, model and number of each of the series production hybrid electric vehicles that have availed of the relief up to end April 2006 — since the introduction of the relief in January 2001 — are as follows: Toyota Prius — 718; Lexus RX400H — 202; and Honda Civic — 2.

The flexible fuel vehicles relief was only announced in last December's Budget with the legislative provision underpinning the new relief being enacted in the recent Finance Act. So far, six Ford Focus vehicles have availed of the relief.