Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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147. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on increasing the regulation of the sale of Irish vehicle number plates in order that the purchaser must present evidence of their vehicle registration certificate or vehicle licensing certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36366/24]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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It is a requirement under the Finance Acts that mechanically propelled vehicles (MPVs) should be registered and that vehicle registration tax should be paid. A registration number is issued by the Revenue Commissioners at that time. The registration number is then displayed on a registration plate.

The Finance Act 1992 specifies offences in relation to registration plates. It is an offence to display a false plate, to display a plate issued to another vehicle, or to display a plate which does not correspond to the standard format for registration plates as set out in regulations made by the Minister for Finance.

Clearly we do not want situations where people do any of these things. However it is not within the remit of my Department to make regulations regarding the sale of registration plates. I would note that such regulations would be unlikely to eliminate the making and use of forged plates. We also have to bear in mind that in some cases items which look like registration plates are sold for souvenir or decorative purposes. It is only when they affixed to MPVs used in public places that an offence is involved.