Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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165. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding persons that declare a vehicle off the road in advance of the appropriate period and the vehicle remains off the road for a number of years and they are subsequently sent a bill for road tax; if the original declaration of the vehicle being off the road is adequate; the length of time the declaration lasts; when has the vehicle to be taxed next; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38144/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013. The primary purpose of the Act is to replace the system whereby a vehicle was declared off the road retrospectively with a system under which the vehicle must be declared off the road in advance. The Act provides that a vehicle can be declared off the road for a minimum period of three months and a maximum period of twelve months. Where the owner of a vehicle wishes to make a declaration of non-use, he or she must do so during the final month of an existing tax disc or a previously made declaration of non-use. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Computer Services Division of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport issues renewal notices at the beginning of the final month to remind motorists that a vehicle must be either taxed or declared off the road for a further period.

Where a declaration of non-use is not made in the final month of a tax disc or previously made declaration of non-use, a vehicle must be taxed for the minimum period provided in motor tax legislation, which is three months in the case of the majority of the vehicle fleet and twelve months in the case of vehicles with a concessionary annual tax rate of €119 or less. Arrears of motor tax must also be paid, if applicable, if the vehicle is being taxed more than a month after the disc or the declaration of non-use has expired. A new declaration can then be made at any stage during the final month of the new motor tax disc if the vehicle is thereafter not going to be in use in a public place.