Car tax on the islands?

silverharp

I have just been on Inisbofin and noticed that none of the cars had their tax up todate, seems like the last tax disks on the cars were probably when they were bought on the mainland. I remember this also from one of the islands of Baltimore. Are they exempt?, or is a blind eye turned to it, it’s not a big deal in my mind just curious. I assume the cars are not insured either

peterk19

for some reason i remember being told they were exempt cant remember why though

Owen

Most of the cars on cape clear don't have much in the way of nct, or tax. I remember hearing stories of people taking other peoples cars home, and returning them the next day. The best story I heard was of a VW Beetle taken from the mainland with a seized gearbox. No gear, except reverse would work, car was perfect other than that. So the new owner reversed the whole way around the island.

Gards visit once a month or so I think, but nothing's enforced. There's no point. I'm sure all their road tax would never end up actually being put into their road maintenance.

jhegarty

silverharp wrote:

I have just been on Inisbofin and noticed that none of the cars had their tax up todate, seems like the last tax disks on the cars were probably when they were bought on the mainland. I remember this also from one of the islands of Baltimore. Are they exempt?, or is a blind eye turned to it, it’s not a big deal in my mind just curious. I assume the cars are not insured either

don't know about tax , but they are exempt from NCT...

silverharp

From the state of some of the cars I saw, I doubt if they would pass an NCT, like I say it’s not a big deal but they might as well put the exemption in writing, as if gives the impression that they are a lawless bunch.

It reminds me of a story I heard about a person in a town in S Armagh ringing up complaining about the Army helicopters interfering with the TV reception in the area to which the BBC person, responded “well, which of the 2 famalies that pay the TV licence are you exactly?”

lostinsuperfunk

According to motortax.ie, the rate for "island vehicles" is EUR 78 per annum and there is no mention of an exemption. So it looks like they're just let off.
https://www.motortax.ie/mtoapp/pdf/motortax_rates_2004_en.pdf

Sarsfield

As they're living 50 years behind the rest of the world, I suspect a tax disk from around 1960 should keep them covered for another couple of years

_Kaiser_

lostinsuperfunk wrote:

According to motortax.ie, the rate for "island vehicles" is EUR 78 per annum and there is no mention of an exemption. So it looks like they're just let off.
https://www.motortax.ie/mtoapp/pdf/motortax_rates_2004_en.pdf

Hmmm... isn't the entire country an island??

AOR

hmmm, if one had an address on an island, they could get their car classified as an "island Vehicle" and happily drive around the mainland for 78e??

Andrew Duffy

hmmm, if one had an address on an island, they could get their car classified as an "island Vehicle" and happily drive around the mainland for 78e??

No, as the vehicle has to stay on the island. However, a relative was stopped on the mainland, had his details run, and the cop didn't say anything, so it looks like the system doesn't flag Island tax discs as such.

Diaspora

That would make sense

I doubt if police have time on the mainland to look beyond the colour of the disc and the obvious month in question.

The amount always appears to be in small print; one ironic anomoly is that they may be in breach in mainland Ireland but would not be in breach in other EU states

Victor

silverharp wrote:

as if gives the impression that they are a lawless bunch.

They are. The pubs rarely close.

numorouno

i think islands are exempt tax unless they have a regular chartered ferry or a bridge or something like that.

Our man in Havana

Are island tax discs a different colour? I saw one a while back and it was nothing like the colours normally used elsewhere.

ballooba

Victor wrote:

They are. The pubs rarely close.

Official island closing time is a quarter past september.

Wishbone Ash

I haven't been to one of our 'islands' since the 1970s. At that time it was a common to see children driving (on public roads). Does this still happen?

Slippin Jimmy

Wishbone Ash wrote:

I haven't been to one of our 'islands' since the 1970s. At that time it was a common to see children driving (on public roads). Does this still happen?

Sure don't we have them doing the same here up in Dublin;) , ohh wait thats joyridin.