Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

[Deputy Pearse Doherty.]
Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
overtime including the total overtime bill and total overtime hours worked broken down by
month from January 2011 to January 2012; the average number of hours of overtime worked
by affected staff; the number of staff working overtime broken down by month from January
2011 to January 2012 and expressed in numerical terms and as a percentage of the total workforce;
and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7655/12]
Minister for Finance (Deputy Michael Noonan): As the Deputy will be aware, notwithstanding
the fact that the State is a significant shareholder in AIB, the bank is run on a commercial
arm’s length basis and I do not have a role in the day-to-day commercial and operational
decisions taken by the board and management of the bank. In relation to employment costs,
the management and board of the bank are aware of their duties to their shareholders to ensure
that all costs incurred by the bank are necessary and reflect the needs of the business.
Disabled Drivers
145. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Finance if there is any assistance for a person
wishing to purchase a car for a person with a medical disability; and if he will make a statement
on the matter. [7683/12]
Minister for Finance (Deputy Michael Noonan): The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers
(Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and VRT (up to a certain limit) on
the purchase of a car adapted for the transport of a person with specific severe and permanent
physical disabilities, to those who meet certain disability criteria. The disability criteria for
eligibility for the tax concessions under this scheme are set out in the Disabled Drivers and
Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994. To get the Primary Medical Certificate,
an applicant must be severely and permanently disabled and satisfy one of the following
conditions:
a) be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both legs;
b) be wholly without the use of one leg and almost wholly without the use of the other leg
such that the applicant is severely restricted as to movement of the lower limbs;
c) be without both hands or without both arms;
d) be without one or both legs;
e) be wholly or almost wholly without the use of both hands or arms and wholly or almost
wholly without the use of one leg;
f) have the medical condition of dwarfism and have serious difficulties of movement of the
lower limbs.
If the Primary Medical Certificate is refused, the person may appeal the refusal to the Disabled
Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, National Rehabilitation Hospital, Rochestown Avenue, Dun
Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. I would point out that the Medical Board of Appeal is independent in
the exercise of its functions.
Banking Sector Regulation
146. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm if a retention
agreement has been circulated between a company (details supplied) and IBRC and if there
was a public procurement process for this agreement; if he will further confirm if the retention
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