Online service ‘to make motor tax renewal easier’

ALMOST two million Irish vehicle owners will soon be able to renew their motor tax online.

A new e-Government initiative will be introduced countrywide for vehicles due for tax renewal after March 1.

A successful pilot scheme operated since mid-November in three local authority areas, Clare, Galway and Tipperary North, has revealed an average uptake of 6% in the first month. Just over 10% of the country’s registered vehicles are located within the pilot project areas.

The countrywide online scheme will be operated by the Department of Environment’s vehicle registration unit (VRU), which designed the new e-service.

Assistant principal officer at the Shannon Town-based VRU, Gerry O’Malley, said almost 250,000 vehicles are due monthly for motor tax renewal.

On an annual basis, the country’s local authorities handle 3.2 million motor tax transactions, which yield €650 million.

The Irish system, which will give a lead to many EU countries including Britain, is based on a model used in parts of Australia.

Mr O’Malley said the current pilot scheme in the three catchment areas was proceeding smoothly. “The online service guarantees the issue of renewal tax discs within five days but it’s currently next working day delivery,” he said.

The decentralised Shannon office is the computer centre for the national vehicle and driver database. With over 1.9 million vehicles registered, the online renewal operates on the basis of a vehicle owner being given a PIN number to permit them access to the department’s database. With recent Central Statistics Office showing significant growth in the number of home PCs, Mr O’Malley said a 10% countywide uptake of the online scheme was the initial target in the first year.

A formal ministerial launch of the scheme is anticipated, followed by an advertising campaign. In the three pilot areas, vehicle owners were sent a leaflet 10 days before their tax was due to be renewed, reminding them of the availability of the online service.