Ireland facing EC proceedings over VRT charges

[CJ]

Bring it on (not that anything will change mind you):

http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story ... qqqx=1.asp

CJ

[colm_mcm]

similar thread on boards.ie

[optical illusion]

What they are doing is so illegal it's not funny, I simply can not fathom how they are getting away with it for so long. I hope the EU commisioners rape them, then maybe I can get a cheap S2000

[Dragonheart]

Dont they face these proceedings every year and take the fine? As the amount they make on the VRT per annum is a lot more than the fine they just pay it. Thats what I thought.

[kevinod]

On the other side of it, if they lose out on their VRT money, they'll just create a new tax, call it carbon tax or something, and we'll just end up paying the same.

[colm_mcm]

Ireland aren't the only country with such a tax, and you are exempt if you're moving from one country to Ireland (which IMO isn't fair, but they're only doing that because they have to)

VRT is a pain, but it generated a lot of revenue.

[Mustang]

We've heard this one before -every couple of years there is some suggestion of a challenge but nothing ever comes of it.Too many vested interests -just like every other industry in this country. There should be a nominal administrative charge, say €100 or so. I'd much prefer if they taxed the fuel -polluter pays, pay by use etc. and bundle the motor tax in with that as well. Encorage people to recycle, reduce, reuse (isn't that the mantra). Instead we have a (motor) tax system that by vertue of it's punitive nature effectively makes a >2l engined car worthless after about 10 years. Encouraging people to buy another car (hard to justify paying a motor tax bil when it is greter than the resale value of a car) i.e more consumption.
The greens have shot themselves in the foot with every 'green' policy they have introduced. We had (have) an opportunity to be trailblazers here, instead they went for the easy -but hugely unpoplur and ultimately unfruitful emissions tax route.
Ok taxing the fuel would be unpopular with commuters -but they are already unhappy -by virtue of their comuting
Buy toyota aygo if the fuel bill is too big