Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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198. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will give consideration to the situation facing persons who have not been able to use their motor vehicles during the Covid-19 emergency period in view of the fact they cocooned on public health advice; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many are now facing large bills from their local motor tax offices for arrears and that they were unable to avail of an off the road declaration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15089/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Up to 2013, vehicles were declared off the road retrospectively.

The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act came into effect on 1 July 2013. The primary purpose of the Act was 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 procedure where vehicles were declared off the road retrospectively was non-verifiable, and was at the time estimated to be costing some €110m annually (a significant proportion of which were not considered to be genuine).

Under the new provisions, a declaration must be made in the last month of an existing motor tax disc or renewed in the last month of a previously made declaration of non-use. The declaration can be made online or in a motor tax office using the following form:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/4df54e-declaration-of-non-use-of-a-vehicle/.

The declaration can be made for any number of calendar months between 3 and 12 months i.e. it cannot be made for a period of 1 or 2 months. If a vehicle is subsequently required to be put back on the road, the declaration can be broken at any time simply by taxing the vehicle.

Where a declaration is not made in advance, arrears of motor tax must be paid in full and motor tax paid for a minimum of 3 months before a declaration of non-use can then be made in the final month of the tax disc.

There are no plans to re-introduce retrospective declarations of non-use.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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199. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is legislation or policy to allow driving schools that had parked up vehicles for a number of months during lockdown to claim a refund on motor tax paid for that period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15096/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Motor tax legislation provides for refunds in certain limited circumstances, where:

- a vehicle has been scrapped or destroyed;

- a vehicle has been permanently exported;

- a vehicle has been stolen and has not been recovered by the owner;

- a vehicle in respect of which a tax disc has been taken out has not been used in a public place at any time since the issue of the disc;

- the owner of a vehicle has ceased, because of illness, injury or other physical disability, to use the vehicle;

- the owner of a vehicle has ceased, because of absence from the state for business or educational purposes, to use the vehicle; or

- the owner of a vehicle has ceased, because of service overseas with the Defence Forces, to use the vehicle.

There are no plans currently to amend the legislation to extend the grounds for the granting of a refund.

However, as you are aware, the Government has introduced a range of supports for Covid-impacted businesses generally, including new schemes of wage subsidies, rates waivers, re-start grants, lending facilities, equity injection, and business advisory supports. You will also be aware that further stimulus measures will be announced later this month, to be followed by longer-term actions in the National Economic Plan, which will be published alongside Budget 2021.