Call to close loophole on car imports

THE GOVERNMENT is being lobbied to extend the penalty points system to cover the offence of not displaying an insurance disc, as well as to change the rules governing casual trading for motor vehicles. The aim of the proposed changes is to make it more difficult for Irish residents to drive foreign-registered vehicles, while at the same time cracking down on rogue dealers who sell out-of-state vehicles at the side of the road, frequently to avoid payment of vehicle registration tax (VRT).

It is an already an offence for Irish residents not to display their insurance details on the windows of their vehicle.

However, this is not an offence for tourists and non-resident visitors to Ireland, as visitors and tourists may not be required to display that information in their home country, as is the case in Britain.

According to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) a greater compulsion on Irish residents to always display their insurance details, would separate them from tourists and non-resident visitors, making detection of illegally-driven cars easier.

The organisation also wants to see casual trading laws amended to prevent out-of-state registered vehicles being offered for sale at "side of the road" locations by unscrupulous traders. Roadside sales frequently feature out-of-state registered cars sold at a discount compared to vehicles registered here. Consequently, they are often bought by those who fail to register and pay vehicle registration tax. SIMI director Alan Nolan yesterday said a submission on these issues was sent to Government last week.

News of lobbying for the additional changes comes just days after the Government agreed to bring in a "test" for second-hand imports from out-of-state countries following an industry study which claimed almost one in five cars imported from Britain and Northern Ireland have had their mileage changed.

The lobbying also comes as Revenue completes a two-week "blitz" against traders who illegally import vehicles from Northern Ireland and Britain. Acting with the help of information gleaned in a recent "name and shame" campaign, Revenue says it carried out a "very successful blitz" with a number of illegal imports and casual traders identified.

Nolan said the society was also looking at roadside sales of foreign-registered cars as a road safety issue as "these vehicles can be untraceable and it is not easy to administer fines". But he said the society was plainly looking at "the damage to our own industry, we are not embarrasses to defend our patch".