Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
331. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance the current wait times to secure appointments through an organisation (details supplied) to import and register cars from the United Kingdom over the years 2018 to date in 2023, by location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27849/23]
View answer374. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the significant delays for motor traders in securing registration appointments to import cars from the UK, which is causing major business disruptions and cash flow problems which is putting many businesses at risk of closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27846/23]
View answer375. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance the total number of staff employed by an organisation (details supplied) to provide import and export car registration services in the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form, by location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27847/23]
View answer376. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance to detail the financial arrangements in the contract for an organisation (details supplied) to provide vehicle import and export services within the State, including the yearly cost since its inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27848/23]
View answer377. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that in some cases motor dealers are waiting for up to four weeks and beyond for appointments to import and register cars in County Louth through an organisation (details supplied) for the second-hand marketplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27850/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 331, 374, 375, 376 and 377 together.
I am informed by Revenue that, as permitted by the legislation on Vehicle Registration Tax, certain services concerning vehicle registration are carried out on Revenue’s behalf by an external service provider. This work is undertaken by the service provider as part of its contract to provide a wide range of vehicle-related services to a number of Government bodies. The contract was awarded following a competitive procurement process carried out by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and involving a number of other State bodies, including Revenue, as key stakeholders. The present contract commenced in June 2020 and is scheduled to run for 10 years. It was preceded by a 10-year contract that ran from 2010 and which was also won by the same supplier following a procurement process.
In accordance with the contractual arrangements, Revenue pays a fee in respect of each vehicle presented to the service provider by customers seeking pre-registration inspection or registration.
The following table sets the total payments by Revenue to the service provider for each year since 2011 under the two successive contracts:
|
Year |
Payments |
|
2011* |
€2,201,251 |
|
2012 |
€1,950,598 |
|
2013 |
€2,564,816 |
|
2014 |
€2,745,333 |
|
2015 |
€2,469,616 |
|
2016 |
€3,505,978 |
|
2017 |
€4,661,637 |
|
2018 |
€4,945,898 |
|
2019 |
€5,376,118 |
|
2020 |
€7,394,324 |
|
2021 |
€8,799,104 |
|
2022 |
€6,493,591 |
|
To end April 2023 |
€2,761,444 |
*Includes fees for 2010
The Deputy has also asked about the “wait time” for customers seeking an appointment with the service provider. Contrary to the suggestion in the Deputy’s questions, the recent data on average wait times indicates that appointments are available in sufficient time to allow customers to complete their registration process within the timeframe permitted by the legislation, which requires that a vehicle must be registered within 30 days of entering the State. Owners are required to contact the service provider within 7 days of the vehicle entering the State in order to get an appointment, which allows for the relevant vehicle examination and registration process to happen within that 30-day period. The service provider is required to provide access to the VRT-related examination services at a range of National Car Test Service (NCTS) centres throughout the country and to give timely appointments so that customers can register their vehicle within the statutory period.
Current data on the average wait times for VRT appointments at each of the centres is set out below. It shows that average wait times in all the centres are within suitable levels. The data sought by the Deputy on wait times in each year since 2018 is not readily available within the timeframe for the response to his question.
|
Centre |
Average number of days to wait for a VRT appointment after contacting the service providerMay 2023 |
|
Arklow |
8 |
|
Ballinasloe |
3 |
|
Ballymount |
12 |
|
Carlow |
7 |
|
Carndonagh |
3 |
|
Carrick-on-Shannon |
1 |
|
Cork-Blarney |
5 |
|
Deansgrange |
9 |
|
Donegal Town |
3 |
|
Dundalk |
11 |
|
Ennis |
12 |
|
Enniscorthy |
5 |
|
Galway |
6 |
|
Greenhills (Exit 11, M50) |
13 |
|
Kells |
11 |
|
Kilkenny |
8 |
|
Letterkenny |
8 |
|
Limerick |
9 |
|
Monaghan |
5 |
|
Naas |
10 |
|
Nenagh |
4 |
|
Northpoint 2 (Exit 4, M50) |
13 |
|
Portlaoise |
5 |
|
Skibbereen |
2 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
|
Tralee |
2 |
|
Tullamore |
2 |
|
Waterford |
9 |
|
Westport |
2 |
I understand that the centre in County Louth had an average waiting time for an appointment for a VRT registration of 11 days during May 2023, and the wait time is currently 13 days. However, I am informed that, where needed, appointments can regularly be available on the same day because over a quarter of appointments, at that centre in May, were either cancelled or the customer failed to attend.
The Deputy has asked about staffing levels at the centres. Revenue does not have any operational responsibility for these centres and does not have the information sought by the Deputy.
Finally, the Deputy has raised the matter of motor dealers who are regularly seeking to have vehicles registered. I am informed by Revenue that authorised motor dealers can use ROS (Revenue’s online service) to themselves register vehicles that were previously registered outside the State. This process involves having the vehicle pre-inspected by Revenue’s external supplier who records the relevant vehicle details on ROS, after which the dealer can register the vehicle and pay the VRT at the point when the vehicle is sold. This arrangement is designed to facilitate the motor trade who are permitted to hold unregistered vehicles and only to register them at the time the vehicle is being sold.
Information on this system for authorised motor dealers is available at on Revenue's website.
To avail of this service a motor dealer must register for ROS. Assistance on this is available from the ROS Helpdesk by telephone or email (contact details: (01) 738 3699 or roshelp@revenue.ie).
