LOCAL politicians are accusing Minister John Gormley of a further encroachment on the agricultural community and tradespeople alike with his call for the policing of commercial vehicles.
However, the Minister has claimed that he was not aware that the circular, issued to motor tax offices ordering the clampdown on the use of commercial vehicles for private purposes, had been sent.
The implications of the circular would mean an increase in road tax costs of up to €900 for commercial vehicle drivers.
Fine Gael Councillor Patrick O’Donovan said the the move was an “absolute disgraceful attack on small businesses, the self employed and the farming community.”
“I know a man in County Limerick whose father is a farmer and who was going to take over the farm”, Cllr O’Donovan told the Limerick Post.
“Because of the way the agricultural industry is going he had to take a job in town to subsidise his income and work on the farm at the weekend.
“Now he will be punished if he drives his jeep to mass. This is a barefaced money making racket”.
Cllr O’Donovan claimed that Fianna Fail were not standing up to be counted on the issue.
“Their silence on the state of the country and what the Government is doing to ordinary people is deafening and its high time that they answered to the people that elected them and represented their views”.
Fine Gael Deputy Kieran O’Donnell called on the Green Party to reverse the policy saying it was out of touch with reality.
“This is an example of how the Green Party has totally lost touch with the reality of how most people live.
“The plan seems to suggest that gardaí be asked to police church car parks, school yards, shopping centres and sports clubs to find commercial vehicles being used-what a joke!
“The suggestion that the authorities would try to police commercial 4x4s and small vans is ridiculous”.
However, the Department of the Environment have stated that there are no plans to change the current system of taxation for commercial vehicles, which already requires such motorists to sign a declaration at their local Garda station stating that they will not use the vehicle for personal purposes.
