Seanad debates

Tuesday, 1 April 2003

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed).

 

We do not currently take the longer-term objective into account. We simply add on to the cost of buying and registering a car as well as the cost of petrol. Taking a long-term view would mean reducing the basic cost of the car and increasing the cost of running it, so that we encourage people to use it less and use public transport more. If that means introducing road charges during busy times in cities, well and good. If we reorganise the cost of motoring to reflect properly our long-term policies on national public transport, we will find it easier and faster to bring about the realisation of these policies. I recommend such an approach by the Government. While I know it will not happen in this Bill, the Minister should consider it as it takes the broad longer-term picture into account.

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