Figures for new car sales show that there was a 6% increase in sales in the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2006.
153,230 new cars have been sold so far in 2007, which represents a 5.90% increase on the 144,690 sold between January and June last year.
In light of the figures, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry has called on Finance Minister Brian Cowen to reduce VRT as an incentive to lower CO2.
SIMI says encouraging the purchase of newer, less polluting cars makes sense from a climate change viewpoint.
