New car registrations fall 19.3%

The number of new cars registered for the first time in November 2009 fell 19.3 per cent, figures from the Central Statistics Office showed today.

Some 948 cars were licensed in November 2009, compared with 1,174 the year before.

Diesel vehicles continue to show popularity among car buyers, with 558 of the new vehicles registered in November using the fuel, some 58.9 per cent. Petrol accounted for 37.7 per cent. Ten hybrid petrol and electric cars were registered, while 23 vehicles used petrol and ethanol fuel.

Meanwhile, the number of new goods vehicles licensed during the month was 476, a fall of 51.6 per cent from the previous year's 983.

A total of 6,302 vehicles were registered in November, a decline of 27.6 per cent compared with the 8,708 that were licensed in November 2008. More than 13,000 were registered in November 2007.

The car industry has seen a severe downturn in Ireland in recent years. between January and the end of November this year, only 144,779 vesicles were registered for the first time in Ireland, 72,525 of which were imported used cars. This compares to a total of 275,969 over the same 11-month period in 2008, and 326,413 between January and November 2007.

A number of car dealerships have gone into liquidation in recent weeks, with liquidators appointed to both Belgard Motors and EP Mooney.

Industry lobby groups are campaigning for the introduction of a car scrappage scheme in the Budget as part of a bid to stimulate the market.