Penalised by motor tax payments system

The average motorist has to pay an extortionate amount for the privilege of driving on our pothole-infested roads,(unless of course you live in Dublin where this does not apply, they have the best of roads there). However if you pay motor tax either every three or six months there are further penalties imposed.

For example, tax on a two-litre pre-2008 car is €710 per year, but if you pay for six months it costs €394 which equates to €788 per year and three months costs €200 or €800 per annum.

Now I would have thought with the country being in the position it finds itself in that instead of penalising people who are trying to get by on very little, that the Government would try and ease the burden instead of kicking people when they are down?