Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Finance the position in relation to the appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kildare for tax relief in relation to vehicles purchased for use by people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42429/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, I have answered a Parliamentary Question from him, relating to this person, on 3 October 2006. As I stated then, the person concerned applied for the tax concessions under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme and that the application has been unsuccessful at first instance and on appeal to the Medical Board of Appeal for the Scheme. I have no direct responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the Medical Board of Appeal for the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme. Queries regarding individual cases may be addressed to the Secretary of the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, c/o the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin or alternatively by telephone at 01 2355279.

The Deputy will also be aware that the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, which determines appeals from a refusal of a Primary Medical Certificate under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme, is independent in the execution of its functions.

In relation to extending the scope of the Scheme, the operation of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme was reviewed by a special Interdepartmental Review Group. 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, 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 possible future development of the scheme. The short-term recommendations in respect of the appeals process have been implemented. The main change arising from these was that an increased number of members could be appointed to the Appeal Board, which facilitated a far greater number of appeal hearings than had been the case prior to the Report's publication.

In respect of the long-term recommendations, including the qualifying disability criteria, given the scale and scope of the scheme, further changes can only be made after careful consideration. For this reason, the Government decided that the Minister for Finance would 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 consideration is undertaken on a regular basis.