Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the growth in ownership of SUVs and other large engine cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7411/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason the higher rate of motor tax for high emitting vehicles, announced in Budget 2007, will not come into force for twelve months and the further reason then only for vehicles registered after January 2008; and his views on whether he has given people an incentive to purchase high emitting vehicles throughout 2007. [4050/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 212 together.

The total number of licensed cars increased by 7% in 2006 and 5% in 2005. This growth is being driven, inter alia, by increasing population and rising employment and this is contributing to higher transport emissions.

On Budget day (6 December, 2006) I announced proposals which will provide an incentive through the motor tax system for the motoring public to drive cleaner cars by using CO2 emission ratings, in addition to the normal engine c.c. value, in the calculation of motor tax. This approach will rebalance tax payments in favour of cars with lower CO2 emission levels, at the expense of cars with high emission levels. The new system will be applied to any new or pre-owned imported vehicle, registered in this country on or after 1 January, 2008 and taxed within the 'Private Car' motor tax class, which make up about 75% of vehicles registered each year. Cars, which are registered prior to 1 January 2008, will continue to be taxed under current arrangements and CO2 ratings will not apply to these vehicles. SUVs do not constitute a specific category of vehicle for motor tax purposes and are taxed on the basis of engine capacity.

The timeframe for introduction of CO2 based motor tax charges for vehicles in the Private Car category is influenced primarily by operational considerations. These include the lead-in time for comprehensive software adjustments to the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) which supports all motor tax application processing including the on-line motor tax service as well as the need to evaluate submissions from interested parties to the public consultation paper which I published on 6 December 2006. The period of consultation will conclude on 1 March 2007.

The NVDF does not have CO2 values for all pre 2008 cars, as these data are only comprehensively available on the NVDF since the middle of 2004.