Vol. 559 No. 1
98 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Finance the system used by the Central Vehicle Office for the issuing of vehicle registration numbers; if the office permits sections of the motor trade to pre-book specific vehicle registration numbers; the system and procedure used for such pre-booking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23881/02]
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners, who are the authority responsible for the registration of motor vehicles in the State, that vehicle registration numbers are issued sequentially on a first come first served basis, by reference to the licens ing area in which the registered owner is resident, via a mainframe computer system.
It is understood from the Revenue Commissioners that there is no provision that would allow specific sectors of the motor trade to preferentially pre-book specific individual or blocks of vehicle registration numbers. However, a facility does exist whereby any person, trade or otherwise, intending to purchase a vehicle may choose and reserve a particular registration number in advance of registration. The conditions and procedures for reservations are as follows: application for an "03" number may only be made on or after 1 November 2002; the fee for a reserved number is €315; and the number chosen must be one in the normal format, and must correspond with the place where the applicant normally resides and the year of the first entry into use of the vehicle. All registration numbers are available for reservation, with the exception of the first number of each year issued in Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Waterford. These are traditionally reserved, on application, to the mayor-lord mayor of each of those cities; the vehicle must be registered to the person in whose name the number was reserved. Reserved numbers can not be sold or transferred; registration may not take place until such time as the number has been reached in the normal registration sequence; a reserved number may not be displayed on a vehicle until such time as it has been formally assigned by Revenue at the time of registration; the processing of applications for the following year commences on the 4th working day of November each year. Applications are dealt with on a first come first served basis. Where a number of applications are received for the same number, at the same time, the successful applicant is decided by lottery. Where a reservation is cancelled, the number becomes available for reservation again.
