Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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89. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will remove the word "exempt" from the vehicle tax disc of primary certificate holders as it highlights persons that are vulnerable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36529/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Article 3 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 sets out the particulars that must be provided on a motor tax disc; these include the tax class of the vehicle.

There are some 30,000 vehicles in the State that are exempt from motor tax. As well as vehicles exempted under the terms of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994, these include, inter alia, State-owned vehicles, Diplomatic vehicles, vehicles used exclusively for the transport of lifeboats or any equipment for affording assistance towards distress at sea, vehicles used exclusively for mountain and cave rescue purposes, vehicles used exclusively for underwater search and recovery purposes and vehicles, whether fire engines or otherwise, which are kept by a local authority and used exclusively for the purpose of their fire brigade service.

All of the above, other than Diplomatic vehicles, are required to apply for a tax disc on an annual basis which shows a tax class of exempt. The disc does not contain any other indication as to which of the above categories the exemption relates to.

The particulars displayed on the tax disc are required for enforcement of motor tax by An Garda Siochána. I have no plans currently to amend the Regulations with regard to the

requirement for the tax class of a vehicle to be displayed on the disc.