Sir, – There has been plenty of discussion about the lack of fairness with the new property tax, but it pales in comparison to motor tax.
This system punishes those who cannot afford to buy newer cars. It punishes families with larger cars with larger engines. It punishes those that own a car but seldom use it. It rewards mythical CO2 emission figures that may never be achieved. Minister for Environment Phil Hogan now wants to punish those who cannot predict the future. On top of all that, there is a massive 10-12 per cent surcharge for paying less frequently than annually.
The annual cost for a typical family with two cars can be several times that of the property tax and is a real burden on those who can least afford it. The 7.5 per cent increase on pre-08 cars was not only a grab for cash, but a cynical ploy to force people to replace their cars. It is time for serious reform; it is time to shift from an ownership model to a usage-based one, with a flat affordable annual charge for all. – Yours, etc,
EOIN O’LOUGHLIN,
Knockieran Lower,
Blessington,
Co Wicklow.