Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Jun 1999

Vol. 507 No. 2

Written Answers. - Vehicle Registration Tax.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

114 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance his views on the rights of a person in Donegal who works in Derry to drive his company car home in the evenings in view of the fact that the company is registered in Northern Ireland and in view of the Good Friday Agreement. [16672/99]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

Under Irish legislation, a person normally resident in the State may not use, in the State, a vehicle which is not registered in the State. The only exception to this provision is in the case of small vans and commercial vehicles which can be driven in the State on behalf of foreign companies by State resident employees. Enforcement of this rule, particularly in Border areas, is necessary for the purpose of collecting vehicle registration tax which is an important source of revenue for the Exchequer.

There is, of course, provision for temporary exemption from the registration requirement for persons normally resident outside the State, such as tourists and temporary workers.