There are nearly 1.5 million licensed vehicles in the State, according to figures released by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Dempsey. The total number at the end of last year was 1,432,330 - an increase of 93,714 (7 per cent) on the 1996 figure. The numbers have been steadily rising since 1980, when there were just under 1 million vehicles. The figures are: 1980, 911,031; 1985, 914,758; 1990, 1,054,259; 1995, 1,262,503.
"This is in keeping with the current performance of the economy and provides for buoyancy in motor tax income and will be of significant assistance to the new funding system in 1999 whereby motor tax revenues will replace the State grants which come from my Department to fund non-national roads, "said Mr Dempsey.
