Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)

Fianna Fáil opposes this resolution, which makes minimum financial sense and no environmental sense. The Government is tinkering around and adjusting the bands in respect of low emission cars, which have proven to be an outstanding success in terms of addressing issues such as climate change. The Government has been remiss in terms of addressing climate change. Despite that the issue is referred to in the programme for Government, Government has resiled from publishing any legislation or dealing with it on a comprehensive basis.

Also, the other measures in relation to car tax are anti-rural. Cars in rural Ireland are not a luxury, rather they are a necessity to allow people to get on with their everyday lives. This measure coupled with other issues such as the closure of Garda Stations, small schools, community and district hospitals, attacks on disadvantaged area aid to farmers, VAT on petrol-----

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