asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that the proportion of cars being driven without current tax appears to be on the increase; and, if so, the steps he proposes to take on the matter.
36.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Motor Tax and Insurance.
35.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will arrange to have a more intensive campaign carried out by the Garda against uninsured and untaxed drivers.
With your permission. a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 36 together.
Routine checks on motor vehicles including checks on tax and insurance are carried out by the Garda as part of their normal duty. In addition, units of the Special Traffic Corps have been established in more than half of the Garda Divisions in the country and will be established in the remaining Divisions in the near future. Where they have already been established they have been highly successful in detecting offences.
I asked in Question No. 35 if the Minister would indicate if he knew or could make an educated guess at what at present is the proportion of cars not bearing current tax discs?
I would not even be able to make a guess at it. I know it is commonly felt that there is a considerable number of cars not being taxed. What the Garda detect is the tip of the iceberg. The bulk of the iceberg necessarily remains hidden because the offences have not been discovered. We can only hope that with the siting of the Special Traffic Corps in all Garda divisions throughout the country this problem will be eliminated. It would be quite impossible, and there is no way open to me, to ascertain the size of the problem.
May I ask the Minister if he would ask the relevant local authorities if they could devise some method by which they could notify the Garda of untaxed cars and thereby save the energies of the Garda who could be better employed in detecting crime? It should be possible for local authorities to have a proper system of a register of cars which are not taxed and let people indicate whether they are using the cars or not.
It might be possible, but it might be a considerable mathematical exercise to quantify the benefits that would be gained as against the cost of implementing such a proposition. I understand that the question of computerisation of motor vehicle registrations is under consideration in the Department of Local Government and, if this could be implemented, it might put an end to this position.
I am sure the Minister is aware that in our economic statistics one of the important indications given to us is the number of registrations of new cars in a quarter. Are we now to take it that this indicator is very unreliable in that the number of cars registered for taxation purposes need not necessarily be valid at all?
No, we are not to take that. The supplementary question I was asked related to the possibility of having a system in the motor taxation office whereby cars which had not been retaxed on a renewal basis would be notified to the Garda.
Is the Minister satisfied all new cars are registered?
Of course, they are. They have to be. I appreciate what has been done. I understand that initial steps in this matter were taken by the Minister's predecessor, but I do not want to make any point about that one way or the other because we have had enough rattling of empty cerebral cans here today. May I ask the Minister to ask the Commissioner to redouble his efforts in this regard and, if necessary, to ask the Garda in each division to set aside a day or two days and publicise the fact—not, of course, the specific day or days—in local newspapers or by some other method as a warning to people that it will no longer pay not to tax their cars because the Garda will catch up on them and it will not be just once every two or three years which enables people to make a saving of £50 to £100.
I agree with the Deputy.
Mr. Kitt
Is the Minister aware——
Deputy, the Minister is in possession.
I agree with Deputy Flanagan's suggestion. I might tell the Deputy that there is a standing instruction in each Garda sub-district that there will be one hold-up at least of motor vehicles per week on staggered days.
Mr. Kitt
Is the Minister aware that a great many of these cars are untaxed because they are not insured? Young people under 25 cannot get insurance and you cannot tax your car if you have not got your insurance certificate. Some of these people are taking chances. Deputy Flanagan is right but it is a question of insurance and the Minister for Transport and Power should get at the insurance. They are willing to pay and take out insurance but they are prohibited from doing that.
Would the Minister ask the local authorities to send out a tax form to people when their tax is due to expire in the same way as they notify them that driving licences are due for renewal? There could be an indication on the form as to the various rates for the various horse powers. I understand there is difficulty in getting these tax forms and, secondly, people may find themselves caught untaxed unawares.
That would be a matter for the Minister for Local Government. There is no reason why a motorist would not know when his tax had expired because the information is clearly indicated on the windscreen of his car.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.