Motor Tax Loophole?

mikemac

The rate for Island vehicles is €78. I assume this is for residents of the Aran Islands, Tory Island and any other inhabited islands.
https://www.motortax.ie/mtoapp/pdf/motortax_rates_2004_en.pdf

But if Ireland is an island then I'm wondering has anyone ever paid €78 motor tax and argued that was all they had to be pay.

pa daly

The aran islands are an island of the state of Ireland.

Ireland is a state in itself so that is possibly the dumbest argument I have ever heard.

maidhc

If you want to sound silly... The legislation is most likely written to avoid this exact argument!

A certain individual (a "colourful" character...) did something similar in Cork by registering his car at a holiday home in Cape Clear or somewhere. Long story short, it didn't work.

homah_7ft

Seriously though. What exactly does it mean?

mikemac

Bit harsh there Pa daly!

There are countless loopholes in many areas related to motoring and we see posters searching for many of them in this forum every week when trying to get out of penalty points and fines.

I could list some laws that have scandelous loopholes in them.

I haven't read any legislation on this but was wondering has anyone ever tried this.
I don't even own a car but was interested to know.

pa daly

I have not seen the legislation regarding road tax, but I still know for a fact you would be quickly shown the door if you tried this stunt in the local tax office.

EDIT: I wish it was that easy otherwise I would not have handed over 500 Euro last week to the bastards ha

peasant

I've been paying no more than 78 euro for years now ...














.... on my camper(s) :cool:

(must be because Ireland is an Island:D )

Our man in Havana

Are "island" taxed cars allowed on the mainland at all?

Gregor Samsa

micmclo wrote:

The rate for Island vehicles is €78. I assume this is for residents of the Aran Islands, Tory Island and any other inhabited islands.
https://www.motortax.ie/mtoapp/pdf/motortax_rates_2004_en.pdf

But if Ireland is an island then I'm wondering has anyone ever paid €78 motor tax and argued that was all they had to be pay.

The wording in an information document isn't grounds for thinking there's a loophole in the law. The disclaimer statement on the Motor Tax website makes it clear that all documents are an "information guide only". You need to look at the actual law.

the MOTOR VEHICLE (DUTIES AND LICENCES) ACT 2004 is the law that allows for the €78 rate, and gives this definition:

"vehicles which are kept and used exclusively on an offshore island to which there is no direct road or bridge access from the mainland"

so there is no loophole.

Silvera

The €78 road tax rate only applies to offshore islands which have no access to mainland Ireland by road.
(Incidentially, such vehicles are also NCT-exempt)

Our man in Havana

So if I live on an island with a ferry service and take my car to the mainland for my holidays I am not entitled to the island rate?

gucci

ha i knew fr teds tax disc looked dodgy in that episode i was watching last week.
incidently, do the same speed rates etc apply on the islands?? i understand from watching top gear (im obviously too lazy to study any legislation) that the isle of man has no speed limits. but then again it has its own parliment or something so its probably something to do with that

maidhc

I only pay €48 to tax my 2.0... so of course there are loopholes. And I don't NCT it... and hell, I even avoided VRT!

byte

maidhc wrote:

I only pay €48 to tax my 2.0... so of course there are loopholes. And I don't NCT it... and hell, I even avoided VRT!

Is it a tractor or something?

maidhc

byte wrote:

Is it a tractor or something?

It is 34 years old.

The downside is it may or may not start in the morning!

Wishbone Ash

Bond-007 wrote:

So if I live on an island with a ferry service and take my car to the mainland for my holidays I am not entitled to the island rate?

No - because then everyone living on an offshore island would claim that they were 'on holiday' if stopped on the mainland and those islanders who have settled on the mainland could continue to use a former island address for motor tax purposes. The car would also have to have an NCT certificate (if applicable) if brought to the mainland for similar reasons.

The question is academic anyway as those on the smaller off shore islands rarely pay road tax at all. The Gardaí come across occasionally to do checks but, as they have to book the patrol car onto the ferry, the word gets out and all vehicles are simply parked off road for the duration of the visit.

Children can regularly be seen driving vehicles on the islands. :eek:

peasant wrote:

I've been paying no more than 78 euro for years now ...

.... on my camper(s)

What about those who have a motorhome exclusively on an offshore island? Shouldn't they entitled to a further reduction?

Robbo

Wishbone Ash wrote:

What about those who have a motorhome exclusively on an offshore island? Shouldn't they entitled to a further reduction?

Or a hearse, which iirc is also €78 to tax

vector

"vehicles which are kept and used exclusively on an offshore island to which there is no direct road or bridge access from the mainland"

here is a silly loophole:
if you could show that the Ireland was still part of the united Kingdom, then Great Britain would be the "mainland" and Ireland would the "island"

however if you managed to prove that the the Act itself would likely be invalid as the government as it was composed at the time of the passing of the act would have been invalid