Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The Minister is not good at understanding what is happening in the motor trade. Rather than increasing local government funding with this proposal, there will instead be a reduction in the tax take as I warned last year. The Minister fails to understand that the changes he made to VRT are not contributing to enhancing the amount of moneys going to local government. No car sales are taking place; forecourts are full of used cars. Figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry demonstrate a massive reduction in the number of used cars being sold.

I support the Minister's aim in changes to VRT. However, he introduced the scheme on 1 July 2008, when consumer behaviour and practice should have informed him that 1 January is when people make up their minds on purchasing new vehicles. Unfortunately, common sense has not prevailed. The Minister is making another grab for cash. There will be an additional financial burden on goods vehicles at a time when their owners are under pressure to make ends meet because of the enhanced costs imposed by the Government over the past several years.

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