Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 143 of 2 July 2008, if progress has been made in agreeing an alternative scheme to replace the fuel excise refund scheme for bus transport operators which is due to terminate on 31 October 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35208/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the fuel duty rebate is to be withdrawn with effect from 1 November 2008 following the ending of a special derogation under the EU Energy Tax Directive 2003. A similar situation affects all Member States who had derogations under the Directive. The Department of Transport and other relevant Departments, in conjunction with my Department, have examined and considered options at length. As I indicated in my answer to your July question this has not been a straightforward matter. In the end, it was not found feasible to introduce an alternative non-tax scheme on a cost-neutral basis and within EU rules.