Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move recommendation No. 44:

In page 163, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following:

“Report on weight-based taxation of motor vehicles

103. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on measures to introduce differential motor vehicle taxation rates based on the vehicle’s weight.”.

This proposes a report to examine differential motor vehicle taxation rates based on weight. This is an approach which has been taken in France, for example. Different approaches are taken on the climate aspects of motor vehicles. Some of it is class-based and emission-type-based taxation. Perhaps one of the more constructive approaches is that which has been taken in France, where they have changed the taxation rate based on the weight of the vehicle. That aims to address the problem of the proliferation of petrol, hybrid, and even in some cases electric, SUVs. The majority of new cars purchased in Ireland are SUVs. That is a crazy situation when we look to the climate impacts. Even if that vehicle may be technically in a different emission class, it nonetheless is a vehicle which, in both its production and its consumption, is worsening our environmental crisis. That is, of course, leaving aside the other costs and damages which SUVs cause on our roads and many other issues. We have a problem whereby the majority of new vehicles are standard SUVs and I suggest this is an approach that may assist in addressing that. It is certainly the approach which has been taken in France.