Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Finance if the public consultation process regarding changes in the VRT system for lower emissions vehicles will just involve the gathering of submissions from interested parties; and if his Department will be hosting information meetings for public debate on the matter. [4078/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The public consultation on options for revising the VRT system to take greater account of CO2 emissions was announced on Budget day and I invited interested parties to make submissions to my Department by 1 March 2007. A summary of a number of possible options which are under consideration by my Department was contained in the Budget 2007 documentation and a longer consultation document has also been placed on my Department's website. In addition, an invitation for submissions was advertised in the national daily newspapers on 15 December 2006.

Consequently, from March, we will be examining the submissions made and it is likely that there will be meetings with a number of those who have made submissions, in particular the key stakeholders. This will provide the opportunity to delve further into ideas which may emerge from the written submissions. However, only when we see the extent of written submissions can I be more precise about the nature and form that any further consultation might take.