15 May 2013, 10:30
The 2011 Appropriation Accounts of An Garda Síochána and collection of motor tax will be the focus of the Committee of Public Accounts when it meets with Martin Callinan, Commissioner, An Garda Síochána and officials from Departments of the Environment, Community and Local Government and from Transport, Tourism and Sport tomorrow, Thursday 16th May 2013.
15 May 2013
Committee Chairman John McGuinness TD said: “The Garda Síochána Appropriation Account for 2011 is on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting. The main points of interest are reductions in staffing levels and the impact on the force; the contract for the mobile road safety cameras and the benefits achieved as a result and the closures of Garda stations and the knock-on effects of these. The purchase of Garda vehicles could also be discussed.
“The Gardaí Siochána is the primary witness for Thursday’s meeting in relation to an examination of motor tax. Representatives from the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment will also be present at the meeting in order to facilitate the Committee to examine the area in its entirety. The Department of Transport has already been before the Committee on the area of motor tax on 7th February of this year.
“There is €50 to €55 million of estimated revenue lost to the State annually as a result of the under collection of motor tax in Ireland. The Gardaí Siochána is responsible for the legal enforcement of motor tax, while the Department of Environment has responsibility for motor tax policy and the Department of Transport has responsibility for the online collection of the tax. As there are a number of bodies involved in the collection of motor tax, the Committee could explore how coordination between these bodies operates in practice and examine what systems in place to estimate and monitor the level of evasion of motor tax, follow-up the non-payment of motor tax and collect arrears.”
This meeting will take place in Committee Room 1 at 10am tomorrow, Thursday, 16th May 2013.
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Committee of Public Accounts Membership
John McGuinness (Chairman)
Kieran O’Donnell (Vice Chairman)
Paul J Connaughton,
John Deasy,
Paschal Donohoe,
Gerald Nash,
Simon Harris,
Michael McCarthy,
Mary Lou McDonald,
Sean Fleming,
Eoghan Murphy,
Derek Nolan,
Shane Ross.