Gormley to raise taxes on big cars

[Fr. Hank Tree]

According the the sunday times, the Minister for the Environment is expected to increase the tax on cars with engines of 1.6 litres and over by double-digits. This would thus affect 500,000 of the 1.8 million cars in the country. This is in accordance with the "polluter pays" principle.

Initially, the minister will tax such cars via the existing engine size system. The department is still developing a "more complex emmisions based system".

The motor tax payable on a 1.6 litre car is currently 414euro. Owners of 2-litre vehicles pay 689euro while those with cars of 2.5 litres or greater pay 961euro. Smaller 1 litre cars pay an annual motor tax of 227euro. An increase of 10% on 2 litre cars would bring the tax up to 758euro per year.

I'm having difficulty finding a link to the electronic version of the story.

This is going to piss a lot of people off. Not me though, i think it's about time people with gaz guzzlers took a bit of responsibility for themselves.

[White Horse]

There should be an exemption for people with large families. Seven people sharing a 2.5l car is more environmentally friendly than a single person with a 1.5l.

[Keith-M]

[quote=Fr. Hank Tree]According the the sunday times, the Minister for the Environment is expected to increase the tax on cars with engines of 1.6 litres and over by double-digits. This would thus affect 500,000 of the 1.8 million cars in the country. This is in accordance with the "polluter pays" principle.

Initially, the minister will tax such cars via the existing engine size system. The department is still developing a "more complex emmisions based system".

The motor tax payable on a 1.6 litre car is currently 414euro. Owners of 2-litre vehicles pay 689euro while those with cars of 2.5 litres or greater pay 961euro. Smaller 1 litre cars pay an annual motor tax of 227euro. An increase of 10% on 2 litre cars would bring the tax up to 758euro per year.

I'm having difficulty finding a link to the electronic version of the story.

This is going to piss a lot of people off. Not me though, i think it's about time people with gaz guzzlers took a bit of responsibility for themselves.[/quote:7zgafw0p]

I'm far from being a tree hugger, but this is something I support. All these cars do is to make us more dependent on exports and add little to the economy.

[irishpeoplearewhingers]

Well done Greens......let your detractors trade empty slogans, you lot just keep on coming up with good ideas like this latest one...

[Deep Throat]

as soon as cars become affordable to the vast majority of people the govt come up with ways of screwing more tax out of them. supposedly all in the name of the environment. The same with air travel. you'd nearly feel guilty now when you get on a plane. carbon footprint my arse!

[kerrynorth]

The best and most equitable way to implement the polluter pays principle is through excise duties. You pay the more you use. Car tax is a very inefficent means of taxation. Imagine the hundreds of local authority staff and Garda and Court time costing tens of millions to administer this inefficient tax. You could save tens of millions by adding an equivalent amount to the excise duty and also achieve your environmental objectives. Two birds with one stone!

[factual]

[quote=Fr. Hank Tree]According the the sunday times, the Minister for the Environment is expected to increase the tax on cars with engines of 1.6 litres and over by double-digits. This would thus affect 500,000 of the 1.8 million cars in the country. This is in accordance with the "polluter pays" principle.

Initially, the minister will tax such cars via the existing engine size system. The department is still developing a "more complex emmisions based system".

The motor tax payable on a 1.6 litre car is currently 414euro. Owners of 2-litre vehicles pay 689euro while those with cars of 2.5 litres or greater pay 961euro. Smaller 1 litre cars pay an annual motor tax of 227euro. An increase of 10% on 2 litre cars would bring the tax up to 758euro per year.

I'm having difficulty finding a link to the electronic version of the story.

This is going to piss a lot of people off. Not me though, i think it's about time people with gaz guzzlers took a bit of responsibility for themselves.[/quote:8eo9x5z7]

Quite right. I fully support this move against pollution.

[DaveM]

If the polluter pays principle is what we are aiming for, one I fully support, would the abolision or substantial reduction of motor tax and an increase in tax on petrol/diesel be more equitible way to do it? Then the tax would be based on usage and actual emissions per user.

[factual]

Allows us to avoid hitting the least well off in Irish society, DAVEM

[ibis]

I suppose it's easier to make u-turns in smaller cars, anyway.