asked the Minister for the Environment if, in view of recent District Court decisions dismissing people driving cars without tax and insurance due to technicalities and bearing in mind that the rest of the motoring public have to bear the cost of the tax and insurance premiums for these people, he will make the necessary alterations to the Act to make this breach of the law foolproof and easily understandable and enforceable by justices of the District Court.
Written Answers. - District Court Motor Cases.
36.
I understand that the recent decisions to which the Deputy refers related solely to cases involving illegal parking and failure to display current tax discs. Uninsured vehicles were not involved. The dismissal of certain cases related to the certification of registered ownership of vehicles where errors of certification were established in a small number of cases. Occasionally, the particulars furnished by the authorised officer may not be up-to-date, particularly where a change of ownership of a vehicle has not been notified to the relevant motor taxation office.
Steps are being taken to remind vehicle owners and garage owners of the statutory requirement in this respect and to improve the processing of vehicle records and the provision of certificates. A change in the existing legislation does not seem necessary.