25/06/2008

New 'Green' Car Tax Scheme Launched

The Irish Environment Minister has unveiled a scheme that will allow new car owners to calculate how much they will pay in Vehicle Registration Tax and motor tax.

The new labelling system, launched by Minister John Gormley, hopes to encourage drivers to purchase cars with lower carbon emissions.

This moves follows the government's decision in the last Budget to tax cars, in the Republic, based on their emissions rather than engine size.

Seven levels of emission have been created in the new system; these will determine how much tax new car buyers will pay, from the start of next month.

The first level, which is a low rating, will cost around €100 to tax.

However, those cars falling into category seven will pack a hard punch on drivers' pockets, with an annual tax tariff of around €2,000.

The car industry has seen a downturn in sales during recent months; many within the market have attributed the decline to uncertainty over the revision of motor taxation.

But the government has said many trading within the motor industry have back the new scheme.

(PR/JM)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

09 August 2016
Decline In Motor Tax Receipts Risk To Local Authority Funding
Local authorities risk losing significant funding for maintaining roads and infrastructure due to a decline in motor tax receipts, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Housing, Planning and Local Government Barry Cowen, has warned.
26 May 2009
No More Income Tax Hikes, Claims Lenihan
The Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has said there will be no further income tax increases this year. The vow comes only a month after the Government doubled the income levies in the emergency budget. Despite the assurances, Mr Lenihan has confirmed that a property tax and a carbon tax were being considered.
28 September 2012
Private Speed Cameras Could Be Used To Detect Tax Dodgers
In an attempt to recover €100m worth of unpaid car tax the government may use private speed camera to detect tax dodging motorists. The recovery plan was revealed in a report by the taxpayers' watchdog, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), which also details a litany of wasted money by government departments and state agencies.
05 September 2014
Wealthier Local Areas To Top-Up Lower Tax Bases
80% of of Local Property Tax is to be kept by councils to fund public services, with 20% being re-distributed to top up funding to those areas with lower tax bases, under new rules announced by the Department of the Environment for 2015.
21 August 2015
Entrepreneurs And The Self-Employed 'Deserve Tax Standardisation' - FG
Entrepreneurs and self-employed people in Ireland "deserve tax standardisation", Fine Gael has said. Fine Gael TD for Meath West, Ray Butler, made the comments following the news that the Department of Finance is to review of the taxation of entrepreneurs and the self-employed in Ireland.