Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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295. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider the request of Clones Town Council that the extra charges applicable to a motorist taxing a vehicle for a three month period as opposed to a 12 month period should be removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10968/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I have no plans to change the arrangements currently in place in respect of paying motor tax on half-yearly or quarterly basis rather than annually. The half-yearly and quarterly payment options incorporate a surcharge element which covers the administrative costs involved in processing the higher volume of applications. The estimated annual income from the increased charges for half-yearly and quarterly vehicle licences is in the region of €50 million. A loss in income from this source would have a negative impact on the Local Government Fund and consequently on grant allocations to local authorities from the Fund and would have to be borne elsewhere in the motor tax system, or through the taxation system generally.