Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister's comments. Green taxes are constructive and those based on CO2 emissions would meet the needs. I am concerned that the Minister did not include HGVs in his comments because they do many more journeys than the average motor car. I do not have the emissions figures to hand but I believe that a significant number of HGVs are over six years old and therefore would be very high polluters. The Minister ought to tax cars and HGVs that are older and therefore have very high emissions. He should not shrink from that responsibility.

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