Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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52. To ask the Minister for Finance why the processing of a claim for a fuel rebate for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be delayed as it was not submitted online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2419/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by Revenue that applications under the Disabled Driver and Passenger Fuel Grant Scheme can be made using the facility on the Revenue website, . This is one of a range of self-service facilities available from Revenue to enable taxpayers make their claims and have them processed and paid in the most efficient, speedy and cost-effective manner. Paper claims under the scheme can be made to Revenue but processing of claims is slower compared to the online service.

I am further advised by Revenue that the person concerned submitted a paper claim on 4January 2016 for the year 2015.  Following contact between the person concerned and Revenue an online application was made on 12 January.  The claim has been processed and payment will be made into the nominated bank account person concerned very shortly.

It may be useful to provide some background on the broader fuel grant. From 1969 to 2014, the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provided for the repayment of excise duty on fuel used by beneficiaries of the Scheme. Following a judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union of April 2013, the repayment of excise element of the Scheme was found to be incompatible with the Energy Tax Directive. Following negotiations with the European Commission it was agreed that the repayment of excise duty should be discontinued as of 31 December 2014.

As I stated in March 2014, to ensure that no beneficiary of the Scheme lost out as a result of the Court's ruling, I decided to introduce a new fuel grant effective from 1 January 2015. Section 81 of the Finance Act 2015 provided for the making of regulations to govern the operation of the fuel grant, which I subsequently made through the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Fuel Grant Regulations (S.I. No. 635 of 2015). The Revenue Commissioners are processing fuel grant applications and my Department is making the payments to beneficiaries.

The Fuel Grant is paid at the same rate as the rates for repayment of excise duty on fuel. Accordingly, I have maintained the rate for petrol at €0.59 per litre, the rate for diesel at €0.48 per litre, and the rate for liquefied petroleum gas at €0.10 per litres.

This fuel grant maintains the previous practice of paying the sum 12 months in arrears, so that the Revenue Commissions have begun processing applications on behalf of my Department from 1 January 2016. With the assistance of the Revenue Commissioners, a number of improvements have been made to the administration of the Scheme. Beneficiaries are now able to apply for the fuel grant online on the Revenue website through the 'myAccount' feature. Revenue will process the applications for my Department, and my Department shall make the payment directly to the beneficiaries bank or credit union account.

Officials from my Department and officials from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners are in regular contact with the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association, who represent many of the beneficiaries of the Scheme. Both organisations have been kept informed of developments as regards the fuel grant.

On 14 October 2015, my Department wrote to beneficiaries of the Scheme informing them of the changes to the fuel grant, and informing them that they can logon to the 'myAccount' feature of the Revenue website from 1 January 2016 and claim the grant. My Department also informed beneficiaries that they may continue to receive the grant using a paper form if required.