Should motor tax be increased?

Idbatterim

Ok, this will go against the general consensus and I drive a 2.5L on the cc system. But we hear all about the massive government shortfall in certain area, health, housing etc.

Has motor tax become too cheap? Now dont get me wrong, the E2350 top current rate etc is off the wall, as were the old cc rates on anything above a 2.2L IMO, about the E1,000 mark. But you can now tax luxury s class, 7 series even the 6 cylinder petrols, for E280 if not less. Now these drivers were totally screwed before, but has it gone too far?

Year on year the emissions are just going down and down, yet the rates have been frozen for years. The government are unlikely to touch anything their mates in the car sales business dont like here though...

enda1

Idbatterim wrote: »

Ok, this will go against the general consensus and I drive a 2.5L on the cc system. But we hear all about the massive government shortfall in certain area, health, housing etc.

Has motor tax become too cheap? Now dont get me wrong, the E2350 top current rate etc is off the wall, as were the old cc rates on anything above a 2.2L IMO, about the E1,000 mark. But you can now tax luxury s class, 7 series even the 6 cylinder petrols, for E280 if not less. Now these drivers were totally screwed before, but has it gone too far?

Year on year the emissions are just going down and down, yet the rates have been frozen for years. The government are unlikely to touch anything their mates in the car sales business dont like here though...

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/tax-revenues-1-4bn-ahead-of-target-for-first-eight-months-1.2337695

Tax revenues €1.4bn ahead of target for first eight months

Idbatterim

the HSE alone is looking for about 1.9 billion extra next year alone! This is coming into a mandatory giveaway budget in October, with the election coming up...

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/hse-chief-seeks-an-additional-2-billion-in-funding-for-2016-1.2335479

freddieot

Road Tax in its current form should be abolished. A standard road usage fee of about €100 should be imposed every year for every vehicle, m/bikes and cars.

Putting a few cents on a litre of fuel would then be the fairest way to pay for roads. The more you are on the road, the more fuel you use, the more tax you pay.

Want to pay less then get a more economical vehicle.

The bean-counters should be able to play with a formula like this to make it fairer than the current systems.

Then the guy driving a Corolla 40,000k a year would pay more than the guy driving a 7 Series only 4,000k per year, which is the way it should be if you want o charge people fairly...

Just my opinion but at least it would be somewhat fairer than the existing (two) systems, both of which are ridiculous.

JC01

Nope motorists contribute hugely to the exchequer as it is without even considering motor tax. Why should we be squeezed for even more?

As for the shortfalls in healthcare, housing etc, the HSE is ridiculous. Overhaul it using private sector industry experts and you'd double efficiency while halving cost, get rid of social housing altogether IMO, besides in a fair world motor/road tax should be used just for motor/road users eg on roads, subsidising Nct fees, public transport projects.

bazz26

Government coffers cannot be that bad all the same if they can afford to give around €1.5b of the money they took in from motor tax, to help fund the setup of Irish Water.

BeatBoxing Blowfish

bazz26 wrote: »

Government coffers cannot be that bad all the same if they can afford to give around €1.5b of the money they took in from motor tax, to help fund the setup of Irish Water.

The same Irish Water, which is, ironically, trying to charge for something which is already part funded by deductions from the motor tax take.

Toyotafanboi

Basing it on the OMSP of the car would be a fairer way to an extent.

It'd also show an interesting shift in car values imo.

Sh1tbag OToole

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Basing it on the OMSP of the car would be a fairer way to an extent.

It'd also show an interesting shift in car values imo.

Wouldn't be a bad idea. It would be great for the domestic economy if we all drove bangers imported from UK for less than 1,000 quid but of course SIMI have the govt wrapped around their finger and they make far too much from VRT anyway

swarlb

Idbatterim wrote: »

Ok, this will go against the general consensus and I drive a 2.5L on the cc system. But we hear all about the massive government shortfall in certain area, health, housing etc.

Has motor tax become too cheap? Now dont get me wrong, the E2350 top current rate etc is off the wall, as were the old cc rates on anything above a 2.2L IMO, about the E1,000 mark. But you can now tax luxury s class, 7 series even the 6 cylinder petrols, for E280 if not less. Now these drivers were totally screwed before, but has it gone too far?

Year on year the emissions are just going down and down, yet the rates have been frozen for years. The government are unlikely to touch anything their mates in the car sales business dont like here though...

I wouldn't worry yourself too much... I'd lay odds IT WILL be increased. It wont certainly be less !!

Tzardine

I wish they would let you tax the car for a month at a time.

Xcellor

Idbatterim wrote: »

Ok, this will go against the general consensus and I drive a 2.5L on the cc system. But we hear all about the massive government shortfall in certain area, health, housing etc.

Has motor tax become too cheap? Now dont get me wrong, the E2350 top current rate etc is off the wall, as were the old cc rates on anything above a 2.2L IMO, about the E1,000 mark. But you can now tax luxury s class, 7 series even the 6 cylinder petrols, for E280 if not less. Now these drivers were totally screwed before, but has it gone too far?

Year on year the emissions are just going down and down, yet the rates have been frozen for years. The government are unlikely to touch anything their mates in the car sales business dont like here though...

No.

starlit

It increases up and down as it is all depends on the efficiency of the car and depends on petrol and engine size.

CJhaughey

If you have a tank with a leak you fix the tank, you don't keep filling it.
Same with the countries finances, the staggering level of waste and corruption in the HSE is no excuse to squeeze motorists more.
The recent primetime episode where there was several HSE managers involved in a special deal with a supplier is just the tip of the iceberg.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

+1. This should have been done years ago.

It would also force a large percentage of the foreign registered cars to be included in the revenue stream (if they fill up here obviously).

Like with any other service...the more you use it the more you pay.

freddieot wrote: »

Road Tax in its current form should be abolished. A standard road usage fee of about €100 should be imposed every year for every vehicle, m/bikes and cars.

Putting a few cents on a litre of fuel would then be the fairest way to pay for roads. The more you are on the road, the more fuel you use, the more tax you pay.

...

Triangla

VRT tax when buying a car.

Motor tax every year.

Tax on fuel at the pump.

I think the amount of tax currently being paid by motorists is already ripping the pi$$.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

VRT is a large one off up-front payment when you purchase/import a new car.

Instead, the VRT cost should scrapped and instead factored into the fuel tax and spread over the lifetime of the vehicle. Win-win in my books.

No upfront payment, cars are cheaper to buy and a steady stream of income for the exchequer.

Motor Tax scrapped or reduced to a flat rate 100 /EUR charge. Again a win-win.
No large yearly payment, the cost is spread over the year. The more you fill up, the more you pay. The less you drive, the less you pay. As mentioned it also catches all the foreign reg cars also.

It really is a no brainer.

Edit: Unfortunately I believe the government will increase the current motor tax rates in the upcoming budget.

Our government has no foresight what-so-ever and only care about staying in power / getting re-elected.

TheBigEvil

Absolutely, motor tax should be increased. It just doesn't cover everything it was designed to do. The '08 motor-tax changes to charge by emissions have hit us hard, and dare I say it are the real cause of the financial collapse in this country. The banking stuff was all just a smoke screen.

Motor tax has to be increased in the 2015/16 budget so it can pay for the things it was really meant to pay for:
1] Toll Subsidies to the private operators when traffic volumes haven't been reached as agreed in their 30 year contracts.
2] To keep Irish Water operating so we can all have clean drinkable water at last, and then only pay for what we use.
3] To give us "Free" universal healthcare so we never have to pay for a visit to the doctor again, and only pay for healthcare for all the serious illnesses.
4] To keep education "free" and only pay the "voluntary" contribution when your pressured to do so.
5] Political Salaries, Pensions, Expenses,
6] Public Pay restoration back to the boom time levels

And so many more things....that we just haven't been told....

So we must increase motor-tax, for how else will we pay for our services? I mean there is just absolutely, positively no other way to pay for them.

Idbatterim

So we must increase motor-tax, for how else will we pay for our services? I mean there is just absolutely, positively no other way to pay for them.

I detect a hint of sarcasm, of course there are other ways to pay for the, but there are certain things that the government will and wont touch regardless of fairness or merit, motor tax is one of the easier areas for them to go after...

Triangla

TheBigEvil wrote: »

Absolutely, motor tax should be increased. It just doesn't cover everything it was designed to do. The '08 motor-tax changes to charge by emissions have hit us hard, and dare I say it are the real cause of the financial collapse in this country. The banking stuff was all just a smoke screen.

Motor tax has to be increased in the 2015/16 budget so it can pay for the things it was really meant to pay for:
1] Toll Subsidies to the private operators when traffic volumes haven't been reached as agreed in their 30 year contracts.
2] To keep Irish Water operating so we can all have clean drinkable water at last, and then only pay for what we use.
3] To give us "Free" universal healthcare so we never have to pay for a visit to the doctor again, and only pay for healthcare for all the serious illnesses.
4] To keep education "free" and only pay the "voluntary" contribution when your pressured to do so.
5] Political Salaries, Pensions, Expenses,
6] Public Pay restoration back to the boom time levels

And so many more things....that we just haven't been told....

So we must increase motor-tax, for how else will we pay for our services? I mean there is just absolutely, positively no other way to pay for them.

I agree with all your points except number 6. This should include increases of at least 5% per annum and should be backpaid.

To be fair all public sector pensions should also be increased in line with this.