Vol. 487 No. 3
163 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the number of registered passenger cars for the year 1997; the estimated increase in registered car ownership for the year 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3921/98]
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the number of passenger cars first registered in 1997 was 181,718.
The Office of the Revenue Commissioners does not record details of changes in ownership which arise after cars have been licensed by the Department of the Environment and Local Government for road tax purposes. However, details of the total number of cars licensed in each licensing authority area are contained in the Irish Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics which is published annually by the Department of the Environment. The latest publication refers to the year 1996 and is available in the Dáil Library.
I have no functional responsibility for forecasting vehicle numbers in the longer-term. The trend has been that the historically low rates of car ownership in Ireland have tended to move towards the higher EU norm, and given the continuing strength of the economy, I would expect this trend to continue.
