Vol. 510 No. 3
222 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Finance when motorists can expect the price of cars to converge with EU price levels; when the range of taxation burdens which they carry might be reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22641/99]
I am sure the Deputy is aware that car sales continue to soar in this country. Total net registrations for the first three quarters of the year, at 158,394 are now 26,514 or 20.1 per cent ahead of the same period last year and 14,387 or almost 10 per cent ahead of last year's full year total. To the best of my knowledge, car prices vary throughout the countries within the EU and the tax regimes differ considerably.
Vehicle registration tax which adds to the price of new cars is a valuable course of Exchequer funding, and I have no plans to remove this tax. With regard to excise duty on motor fuels, I would like to remind the Deputy that the rate in the UK and in Northern Ireland is much higher than that currently obtaining in the State. For example, the pump price of a litre of unleaded petrol for a person resident in the State is around 63p, whereas it is around 87p in Northern Ireland.
