Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 198: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he plans to provide the same grant for a disabled driver as for a disabled passenger; and to increase the disabled driver and passenger grants in 2008 as there has been no increase since 1994, despite the increase in the price of cars over this time. [36101/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and Vehicle Registration Tax (up to a certain limit), and exemption from motor tax, on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities.

The disability criteria for these concessions are set out in the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994. To get a Primary Medical Certificate, an applicant must be permanently and severely disabled within the terms of these Regulations.

The Deputy might wish to be aware that some 11,000 people benefited under the scheme in 2006 at an overall estimated cost of €67 million. Any changes would have to be considered in the context of the annual Budget.