asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider refunding to each local authority the additional money collected from the increase in road tax in respect of motor vehicles.
62.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Tax.
61.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will allocate the money collected by increased motor taxation in County Mayo to the blacktopping of untarred roads in that county.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 62 together.
The increase in road tax on private vehicles provided for in the budgetary measures of 28th October, 1970 was intended to raise revenue for general Exchequer purposes and was so described by me in this House when introducing these measures. I am not, therefore, prepared to make this revenue available to local authorities.
63.
asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that increases in motor taxation are a very severe hardship on motorists who are obliged to use their vehicles for work; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this situation.
I do not accept that the recent increases in motor taxation are a very severe hardship on motorists. About 75 per cent of all private vehicles taxed do not exceed 10 horse-power. The increases for these cars vary from £3 15s a year for an 8 horse-power car to £5 7s 6d a year for a 10 horse-power car, equivalent to weekly amounts of 1s 5d and 2s 1d respectively. For bigger cars, the increase is somewhat more but the maximum does not exceed £12 10s a year, equivalent to 4s 10d a week, for cars exceeding 15 horse-power.