Sale of low-emission vehicles has doubled since new tax

[Junkhead]

From the Irish Times:

"The report by the statutory body shows that between July and the end of October, 84 per cent of new cars sold in the Republic were classed as A, B, or C, the three grades with the lowest carbon emission rates.

The report, Energy in Ireland 1990-2007, shows that over the same period last year just 41 per cent of cars sold here fell into one of those three classes.

Minister for the Environment John Gormley said yesterday the figures showed the change in approach to motor and vehicle registration tax was having an impact.

"The changes we introduced are encouraging people towards low emissions vehicles. Irish consumers understand that low-emission cars are good for the environment and good for their pockets."

Despite the anger when this came in, is the visible impact its having going to mean a better reception for more Green ideas?

[BodyofEvidence]

From the Irish Times:


Despite the anger when this came in, is the visible impact its having going to mean a better reception for more Green ideas?

If they are good ideas, yes. If they involve fecking off for the hols while the country collapses, supporting clowns and idiots who havent a goddam clue what to do , or anything to do with lentils, no, expect voilent opposition

[drbob1972]

well with the correct incentivisation it was obliviously going to happen, esp in the lower cost / size cars, most people by these as a tool / transport device and not out of a passion / love of (who could get excited about a nissan or renault, etc)...

preaching as the greens have done for so long only annoys people and generally has no tangible benefit, however when you make it worth while doing then a lot more people suddenly get interested

[White Horse]

Despite the anger when this came in, is the visible impact its having going to mean a better reception for more Green ideas?

The collapse of the Irish motoring industry due to cheap imports from the UK is a bigger impact. Granted it is only partially due to the VRT changes brought in the government.

Green ideas will be treated on a merit basis. Some will be accepted and welcomed, others such as free BIK on company bicycles will be the butt of jokes.

The greatest impediament to acceptance of Green ideas is the continuing Greens support of Fianna Fail.

[BodyofEvidence]

The collapse of the Irish motoring industry due to cheap imports from the UK is a bigger impact. Granted it is only partially due to the VRT changes brought in the government.

Green ideas will be treated on a merit basis. Some will be accepted and welcomed, others such as free BIK on company bicycles will be the butt of jokes.

The greatest impediament to acceptance of Green ideas is the continuing Greens support of Fianna Fail.

Yep. And the lentils...

[keepitreal]

From the Irish Times:


Despite the anger when this came in, is the visible impact its having going to mean a better reception for more Green ideas?

Its just standard economics at work... carrot and stick, used in many cases by Govt (although i can't remember the last time ours did) to drive the cattle home... no great out of box thinking here from the greens.

[KungFugazi]

For me good fuel economy and practicality is far more important than "low emissions", Id sooner drive a 10 year old Diesel car than a brand new Toyota Prius or any other underpowered, overpriced, overcomplicated car that would cost you your first born child to fix in a main dealer if anything goes wrong.

[smitchy2]

It is a positive result from a green plan.
As much as people moan, due to their size the Greens would have similar minor influence on key policies. They could have walked after some measures in the budget but a lot worse is down the road.
It is about time FF is getting the brunt of the criticism after years of shielding bad news on their minor partner.

[BodyofEvidence]

It is a positive result from a green plan.
As much as people moan, due to their size the Greens would have similar minor influence on key policies. They could have walked after some measures in the budget but a lot worse is down the road.
It is about time FF is getting the brunt of the criticism after years of shielding bad news on their minor partner.

No. GP deserves all the blame here. They are the only party in power with FF. the Pd's are gone, and the ragbag of the shallow end of the FF gene puddle will evaporate when the money dries up. The GP however have no prinicples and are monomanical on single issue politics. So, let them sweat...

[galwaytt]

For good or ill, it's irrelevant whether the new ones are greener, or not, for serveral reasons:

1. So few new cars being are being sold, their contribution to cleaning up the environment is so small as cannot be measured.
2. Credit being so tight, etc, no matter how much people would like to buy them.........they won't be able to, financially. Enormous depreciation on them is also making them less attractive in the first place, and so imports (of older..) cars is more attractive.
3. VRT (and associated VAT) receipts are imploding. So, even if car sales numbers stayed static, the decline in income to the exchequer, because of the VRT changes was going to face redress by the Dept of Finance some time. Add in the fact that the economy is up the spout anyway, and the decline is accelerating. Which means Finance will come gunning, sooner, rather than later..........