Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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186. To ask the Minister for Finance if the threshold for remission of vehicle registration tax to take account of the 1% surcharge that will be levied on all new diesel cars as announced in budget 2019 (details supplied) will be increased. [47020/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by Revenue that Statutory Instrument No. 353 of 1994, Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994, which provides for reliefs for disabled drivers, disabled passengers and organisations, was considerably revised by Statutory Instrument No. 634 of 2015 taking effect from 1 January 2016.

A part of this wide-ranging revision was to significantly increase the tax reliefs available from €9,525 and €15,875 to €10,000, €16,000 and €22,000 depending on the level of adaptation to the vehicle.

While the reliefs are available as a repayment of VRT and VAT, they are intended to cover the cost of the adaptions to the car, rather than merely provide a repayment of tax on the vehicle, and in this regard the maximum amounts are very significant.

The Scheme represents a significant tax expenditure, costing €65m in each of 2016 and 2017. This figure does not include the revenue foregone in respect of the relief from Motor Tax. I have no plans to increase the maximum tax reliefs under the scheme.