Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

That is a significant amount of money collected by the Department. However, the Department has informed the Minister that one in ten people evades paying this tax. In 2005 the estimated amount uncollected, which should have been used for rural roads, was €40 million. It is at least the same amount this year. The Minister has failed in his duty to bring in a proper strategy to collect the tax and those paying are subsidising those who are not. The Minister knows this but has done nothing about it.

In England it is estimated that 80% of untaxed motor cars are also uninsured. There is, therefore, a serious issue with regard to lack of enforcement of the law by the Minister and his lack of commitment towards changing the situation. What new schemes has he prepared or what action does he intend to take? Garda prosecutions were down last year when there were 4,000 fewer drivers prosecuted for evading tax than the previous year. Neither the Minister nor the Government are doing their job in this regard.

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