April 01 2010

Parliamentary Questions

• Restructuring of Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
• VAT refund for works carried out on adapted homes

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Restructuring of Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Deputy Michael D. Higgins (L): asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number and name of agencies now under the remit of his Department; the way in which responsibility for each agency is broken down; the number and name of agencies previously under the remit of the Department that have been reallocated to other Departments due to recent changes; the change in policy of sections of his Department and the Minister or Ministers of State responsible for each of the new policy sections;

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Deputy Pat Carey): As the Deputies will be aware, as part of the restructuring of Departments and agencies announced by the Taoiseach in Dáil Éireann on 23 March last to ensure greater coherence and produce more efficient delivery, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will become the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and will incorporate responsibility for social inclusion policy and family policy from the Department of Social and Family Affairs and for equality, disability, integration and human rights from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The changes in Departmental functions announced by the Taoiseach will have an effect on the Estimates of the Departments involved, including my Department. These changes will involve transferring the relevant programme expenditure from one Department to another. All such transfers of funds will be carried out strictly on an Exchequer-neutral basis. Some staff, and related administrative costs, may also be transferred between Departments, again on an Exchequer-neutral basis. On the question of legislation, transfers of Departmental functions are carried out by Government Order under powers contained in section 6(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, while in some cases primary legislation may be needed. This aspect of the changes announced by the Taoiseach is still being examined in my Department and in the Departments of Finance, Justice, Equality and Law Reform, and Social and Family Affairs. In relation to the Deputies’ queries regarding the Minister of State appointed to my Department, Ms Mary White, TD, has been appointed Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, and the Department of Education and Science, with special responsibility for Equality and Human Rights, and Integration. Once the transfer of functions process is concluded, it is my intention to delegate the functions in respect of Equality, Human Rights and Integration to Minister of State White and to delegate functions transferred to my Department in relation to Disability to Mr John Moloney, TD, who will, of course, continue as Minister of State with special responsibility for Disability Issues and Mental Health at the Department of Health and Children, as well as the renamed Departments of Education and Skills, and Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. The Deputies will appreciate that for the moment it is not possible to provide details in relation to changes in policy areas of my Department, the assignment/functions of agencies, any costs involved, funding implications for the various agencies transferring and other associated matters. I can assure the Deputies that I have directed the officials in my Department to ensure that any costs arising in this context are kept at a minimum. They will, of course, be met from within existing resources.

• VAT refund for works carried out on adapted homes

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh (SF): asked the Minister for Finance his views on allowing for a VAT refund or disregard for works carried out on homes to adapt them to make them more accessible for disabled persons in the same way as a VAT refund is available on adaption works carried out on vehicles for disabled users; and if not; if he will give the matter consideration.

Minister for Finance (Deputy Brian Lenihan): I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the Value Added Tax (Refund of Tax) (No 15) Order 1981 provides for the refund of VAT on qualifying goods that are purchased for the exclusive use of disabled persons suffering a specified degree of disablement. “Qualifying goods” are goods which are aids or appliances, including parts and accessories, specially constructed or adapted for use by a disabled person and includes goods which, although not so specially constructed or adapted, are of such a kind as might reasonably be treated as so constructed or adapted having regard to a particular disablement of that person. The provisions of the Order extend to works carried out on homes to adapt them to make them more accessible for disabled persons. The provisions do not apply to the actual construction of a home but would apply, for example, to certain alterations or adaptations which would be necessary to meet the particular needs of the disabled person. Applications under the Refund Order should be made on Form VAT 61A and submitted to the Central Repayments Office in Monaghan.

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