Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is making an interesting comment but I cannot hear him. Every vehicle on the road must be taxed. One would think from what speakers have said that half the county was driving untaxed vehicles and if stopped they were going to Garda stations to get a garda to sign something for them. That is a disgraceful supposition to be making. It casts a slight on the people and on the Garda Síochána. It is terrible. The biggest problem with this legislation is that it does not include a provision for people to be able to pay their motor tax as they go. This is especially important for people who cannot have their vehicles on the road all the year because of a lack of work in the current deep recession. Road hauliers and sole traders who have lorries are trying to keep their businesses going and trying to stay off the dole queues, not claim jobseeker's allowance and provide for their families. To provide a service, they have to pay for everything but they should be allowed to pay their motor tax as they go and at the very least make a monthly payment.

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