Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

This is not based on ability to pay. Somebody driving a 1997 car of the same cc as a 2007 car will be levied with the same motor tax demand annually. The other element is that many families today depend on dual incomes to make ends meet. Both parents are forced to work and often two cars are required particularly in rural Ireland where there is no public transport. That is the reality in my constituency. People have to travel to get to work. Both husband and wife, or partners, in whatever arrangement, will be doubly levied by this very punitive measure. The Minister makes a virtue of the fact that there has been no increase over the past four years. Where are the statistics on the intake on motor tax in each of the past four years? I warrant that with the increased number of vehicles on our roads there has been a significant increase in the graph which has risen in terms of the intake of motor tax in each of those four years. This is simply not an acceptable measure. It is punitive as other Members have described it and it is most unworthy of the Minister and his party.

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