Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 June 2016
112. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce regular direct debit payments for motor tax, given that paying several lump sums a year causes financial hardship for many people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18860/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have no plans currently to introduce a system of regular direct debit payments for motor tax.
Any such proposal would require to be underpinned by robust legislation to ensure that there is a system in place to recoup income lost to the taxpayer where there are insufficient funds in personal accounts to meet the payment or where a direct debit or standing order option is cancelled by the account holder once a disc is issued. It would also be necessary to introduce provisions to enable recovery of the disc where required. The resultant additional enforcement requirements would also be likely to increase the cost of operating the system.
