Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

466. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 286 and 287 of 21 October 2025, to provide details on the proposals considered to address the problem of the use of false registration plates through a regulatory regime for the production and supply of plates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58341/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

472. To ask the Minister for Finance to consider introducing a supplier register for vehicle registration plates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58565/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

473. To ask the Minister for Finance to consider introducing minimum manufacturing standard for vehicle registration plates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58566/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 466, 472 and 473 together.

As the Deputy will be aware from my responses on 21 October, the Finance Act 1992 (as amended) and the Vehicle Regulation and Taxation Regulations, 1992 (as amended), require that a vehicle used on the roads displays a plate correctly identifying the vehicle’s registration number, and the legislation specifies the content and format of the registration plate. Under this legislation it is an offence to display incorrect registration information, or to display a plate which does not conform to the content or format requirements.

The Deputy is suggesting additional regulatory measures focussed on controlling the supply of registration plates and setting manufacturing standards for registration plates, as a way of addressing the problem of the use of plates which show a false registration number for the vehicle. This problem of displaying false registration information is of cross-Departmental policy relevance, having regard to the role that correct vehicle identification has in the areas of road safety, law enforcement, and vehicle taxation.

In my previous response I indicated that such controls would not be effective given the relative simplicity and widespread availability of technology that could be used to manufacture such items. Nonetheless, the question of whether the problem could be meaningfully addressed through development of a regulatory regime to control the production and supply of vehicle licence plates requires to be considered on an inter-Departmental basis, informed by the relevant State enforcement and regulatory bodies affected by the matter. While the matter was considered some years ago it has not been the subject of detailed review in recent times. The issue seems appropriate to the remit of the Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV) Interdepartmental Working Group, which is chaired by the Department of Transport, and therefore, I have asked the Revenue Commissioners to raise the Deputy’s proposals with that Working Group for consideration.