Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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132. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will intervene and address concerns expressed regarding the delays in the motor tax office (details supplied) in County Kerry; if he will lift the embargo on an emergency and or temporary basis to allow Kerry County Council to address the delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39877/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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A moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in March 2009 in response to the financial crisis. My Department operates a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium in relation to local authorities, and any exceptions to the moratorium in local authorities require sanction from my Department.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each City and County Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.  In this regard, it is a matter for City and County Managers, in the first instance, to ensure that the moratorium is implemented while the appropriate service levels are maintained. 

My Department examines all staffing sanction requests on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services, and economic issues are given precedence.

My Department has not received any sanction requests from Kerry County Council associated with the current workload in the Council's Motor Tax Office .  

In respect of the workload, not only in Kerry but in all motor tax offices, the transition period under the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 to allow motorists to put their motor tax affairs in order is coming to an end on 30 September and it would be expected that the volume of declarations being made will reduce thereafter.

I understand that changes in relation to the issuing of driving licences and in relation to Certificates of Vehicle Roadworthiness for commercial vehicles being introduced by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport will also reduce workloads in motor tax offices over the coming months.

Furthermore, there is an online facility to renew motor tax, , which is now used by over half of all motorists to renew tax and the use of which would avoid the necessity to attend at a motor tax office for renewal of motor tax. The functionality to make declarations of non-use online via the site will also be coming on stream very shortly.