Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Finance the action he will take to ensure that no car number plates will be provided to a person without the furnishing of verifying documentation to ensure the authenticity of the number plates sought; and if he will ensure that those who manufacture such number plates retain a record of such identifying documentation to ensure that false number plates are not readily available for criminal purposes. [14459/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Revenue Commissioners are the vehicle registration authority in the State. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that under legislation, the format, dimensions and technical specifications of identification marks (vehicle registration plates) to be displayed on vehicles in the State are set out in Statutory Instrument (S.I.) 318/92 as amended by S.I. 432/99. The owner or driver of a vehicle is responsible for ensuring that his/her vehicle registration plates comply with the law and it is an offence under Section 139(1)(b) of the Finance Act 1992 to be in possession of a vehicle displaying a vehicle registration plate in a format other than as prescribed. The legislation does not impose any obligations or restrictions on the manufacture or supply of number plates as long as they comply with these specifications.

There are no plans at present to impose further regulatory control in this area, such as by regulating plate providers as current controls are satisfactory in the collection of VRT.