Plans to Extend the Facility to Tax Commercial Vehicle Online Welcomed

“In response to a Dáil Question I tabled to Transport Minister Leo Varadkar, I was delighted to learn that plans are in place to enable commercial vehicles to avail of the online motor tax service in the coming weeks” announced Kildare North Fine Gael TD, Anthony Lawlor.

Owners of commercial vehicles will be aware of the existing procedure which requires them to attend their local authority office in order to renew their motor tax. This practice is not conducive to the workload of many self-employed business people who have to take time out of their busy schedules to queue for, in many instances, inordinate lengths of time.

“On foot of complaints from a number of constituents frustrated with the current system I tabled a Dáil Question (No. 406, Tuesday 10th May 2011) to the Minister asking if the online facility could be extended to commercial vehicles. He informed me that currently 85% of the national vehicle fleet can be taxed online and arrangements are at an advanced stage in his Department to enable a further 327,000 commercial vehicles to be taxed online, when covered by a current roadworthiness certificate.

“The Minister also outlined plans to reform the commercial vehicle roadworthiness programme which will involve electronic data transfer and streamlined administrative arrangements. The implementation of these reform measures will provide a more efficient service to small businesses, many of which are currently struggling, by easing an unnecessary administrative burden” concluded Anthony Lawlor TD.