Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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118. To ask the Minister for Finance to outline the financial supports available to assist a wheelchair user to purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8231/17]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and VRT, up to a certain limit, on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities, payment of a fuel grant, and an exemption from Motor Tax.

The Scheme represents a significant tax expenditure. Between the Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT foregone, and the fuel grant used by members of the Scheme, the Scheme represented a cost of €65.1 million to the Exchequer in 2016. These figures do not include the revenue foregone to the Local Government Fund in the respect of the relief from Motor Tax provided to members of the Scheme.

I am informed by the Minister for Health that due to concerns following on from reports of the Ombudsman in 2011 and 2012 regarding the legal status of both the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant Scheme in the context of the Equal Status Acts, the Government decided to close both schemes in February 2013. The Government is aware of the continuing needs of people with a disability who rely on individual payments which support choice and independence. In that regard, monthly payments of €208.50 have continued to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance at the time the scheme closed.

The Government decided that the detailed preparatory work required for a new Transport Support Scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Minister for Health. The Minister for Health has informed me that work on the policy proposals in this regard is at an advanced stage and he anticipates that this will be brought to Government shortly.