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Customs: We WILL seize you car
29.10.10
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
A SENIOR Customs official has sent out a warning to
Inishowen motorists who flout the law by driving
Northern-registered vehicles while resident here.
Revenue's Sean Kelleher said his officers would
continue to seize cars across the peninsula for
suspected non-payment of the controversial Vehicle
Registration Tax (VRT). He warned that first
offenders also ran the risk of having their vehicle
impounded.
Mr Kelleher’s comments come following a week of
action by Revenue officials across Inishowen with
many locals complaining of ‘heavy-handed’ tactics.
“It is not a given that a warning will always issue
in a first offence situation. If the case merits a
warning, a warning will issue. However, the vehicle
can also be seized. It is also important that people
understand that each case is dealt with on its
merits, especially in a first offence scenario,” he
said. |
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A people carrier is seized in one of
the recent VRT blitzes in Inishowen. |
Anti-VRT campaigner
Ryan Stewart said motorists who have been confronted
by the Customs in recent weeks should go public with
their stories.
“If you have a confrontation, report it to the
papers or radio. I think it would be helpful if the
Revenue released a statement about their activities
here to stop people thinking ‘they’re coming to get
us’,” he said.
Stewart also confirmed that he had been given
assurances that anyone engaging with the process
would not have their car seized for up to a month
because of an ongoing backlog at the NCT centre in
Letterkenny.
“Customs claim that they will step back and allow
people time. The seven-day warning, while still in
law, is now generally being extended to a month to
clear the car. If further delays persist they will
accommodate people. But be warned this is not a ‘get
out of jail free card’ - if appointments are not
kept, they will issue warnings,” he said.
Stewart also urged local motorists to appeal any
Customs decision they were unhappy with.
Donegal North-East TD Joe McHugh said the current
VRT backlog was particularly infuriating for drivers
here.
“Donegal citizens must now wait 21 working days for
a VRT test appointment; more than twice the length
of backlogs in all other counties. This delay is
hugely infuriating considering the current national
political debate about the Government’s need to have
greater tax take,” he said.
“Last April I wrote to the Minister for Finance
proposing the establishment of a temporary Inishowen
VRT centre to relieve the backlog. An Inishowen VRT
centre could be accommodated at almost no cost in
the Carndonagh NCT centre,” Deputy McHugh added.
**DONEGAL Deputy Mayor, Cllr Pádraig Mac Lochlainn,
yesterday welcomed the efforts of his party
colleague, Bairbre de Brún MEP, to assist local
anti-VRT campaign groups at EU level. Ms de Brún MEP
is lobbying the Petitions Committee to facilitate an
opportunity for those affected by VRT to make a
personal presentation on the issue at the European
Parliament. Cllr MacLochlainn said it was hoped this
representation would help find a solution to the
"injustice faced by Irish drivers". |
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