The Dáil goes into Christmas recess today and returns on Wednesday January 11th.
A cessation of political hostilities was briefly enjoyed in the chamber as party leaders and representatives wished their colleagues, Leinster House staff and the media a happy Christmas.
So cordial were the good wishes that Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher quipped “we’ll be playing football next in no-man’s land”, a reference to a brief first World War Christmas ceasefire.
Former minister for finance Brian Lenihan, who died in June from pancreatic cancer, was remembered as was former Fianna Fáil Kildare North TD Michael Fitzpatrick, who died in October. He had been suffering from motor neuron disease and stood down at the general election.
During the Order of Business calls were made to end a “very lousy measure” in the budget impacting on disabled drivers.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett and Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin called on Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore to reconsider the cut in the tax relief scheme on vehicle registration tax, VAT and excise duty rebates for disabled drivers.
Mr Boyd Barrett said the Irish Wheelchair Association had expressed concern about changes in the disabled driver or passenger tax scheme, so disabled motorists could no longer benefit from the scheme if they buy or own a car above 2000 CC.
The Dún Laoghaire TD said wheelchair users believed this would be “an extreme problem” because they needed bigger cars to hold wheelchairs and the cut was due to come into place on January 1st.
Mr Ó Caoláin said this “very lousy measure” should be reversed in the same way the cuts in disability entitlement for young people were reversed. The Cavan-Monaghan TD said many drivers with electric wheelchairs required 2 litre vehicles because other cars could not accommodate their wheelchairs. He said it would affect “a whole raft of people” and urged the Tánaiste to reverse the cut.
Mr Gilmore said “motor taxation should be appropriately addressed to the Minister for the Environment and I’ll ask the Minister to respond to the TDs who have raised the issue”.
