Fine Gael has claimed that the Government is missing out on up to €40m in motor tax every year because it never implemented plans to catch drivers who evade the tax.
The party's environment spokesman, Fergus O'Dowd, said this morning that documents released to him under the Freedom of Information Act showed that the Government had planned a crack-down on motor tax evasion in October of last year, but did not go ahead with it.
Deputy O'Dowd said the documents showed a Government estimate that 10% of motor tax was not collected every year, representing between €30m and €40m.
He said the money could pay for the upgrading of regional roads, and that the number of people getting away with evading motor tax demonstrated the failure to fully staff the Garda traffic corps.
