Scrappage scheme was a disaster

IN response to Maurice Fitzgerald (Letters, June17), I would contend that the car scrappage scheme was one of the most ridiculous, worst and most wasteful ever introduced.

It was disastrous from an environmental point of view, incentivised the scrapping of perfectly roadworthy cars, providing people with a false incentive to purchase new cars they didn’t actually need.

From a social equity point of view, the taxpayer is subsidising those who can actually afford new cars. Simultaneously, older and cheaper cars are removed from the market, artificially inflating the prices of the cars that poorer people can actually afford. It “promoted jobs and investment in the motor trade”. But why should the motor trade be so favoured? The hotel trade is presently on its knees. Why not use taxpayer money to provide grants so that people can go on holiday? The retail trade is on its knees. Let’s provide grants for new clothes. And given that pubs are closing throughout the country, let’s provide their customers with grants so as to “promote jobs and investment” in that industry too.

James McGrath

Hollyford

Co Tipperary