Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will explain the delays in registering vehicles under the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme since the scheme has come under the administrative control of the National Car Testing Service; if he will intervene directly to restore appropriate processing times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37960/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that under the revised registration procedures (operated by the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) since 1 September 2010), the Revenue Commissioners continue to manage and administer the scheme of relief from vehicle registration tax (VRT) for Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers. In this regard, where Revenue approves an application for relief under the scheme, a letter confirming the appropriate relief from VRT is issued to the applicant, which must then be presented at an NCTS centre in order that the relevant vehicle may be registered. The Deputy may wish to note that the content and format of this notification were updated as part of the revised registration process. Unfortunately, this led to some difficulties as, in a limited number of cases, the applicant had possession of the old style notification letter produced prior to 1 September 2010, and this was rejected at the time of registration at NCTS centres, thus leading to delays in the registration of some vehicles. Revenue has since identified the customers who were issued with an old style letter of approval in order to issue them with the updated notification and so eliminate this cause of delay in registration.

Since the introduction of VRT on 1 January 1993, there has been a requirement that all new vehicles modified for use under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers relief provisions must be examined before the relief is granted and the vehicle is registered under the scheme. Under the revised arrangements, this pre-registration examination is now carried out by the NCTS rather than Revenue, and at present delays are being experienced in booking pre-registration examinations in some NCT Centres. With the exception of one centre, these delays are a matter of days and the Deputy may wish to note that under the new arrangements, a person importing a vehicle has up to 30 days to complete the process. In the past, the law required a vehicle to be registered within 24 hours and in practice Revenue allowed 7 days.

The introduction of the revised registration procedures has presented a considerable challenge for all stakeholders involved in the process. Revenue, in consultation with the major stakeholders, including the NCTS, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry and individual motor dealers bringing vehicles into the State, have identified the major challenges, and are now putting procedures and processes in place to address these challenges. Significant progress has been made to date and, with the implementation of these procedures and processes, Revenue is confident that an efficient user-friendly service will again be available to all persons requiring vehicle registration, notwithstanding the fact that the vehicle will in all cases, as required by law, have to be presented for examination.