Fresh legislation will mean seizure of foreign-registered cars

A legal loophole allowing only State-registered cars to be impounded will be closed under new laws which will allow foreign-registered cars to be confiscated.

The Road Traffic Bill will allow gardai to impound all untaxed, uninsured and unlicensed vehicles, including those registered outside the State.
Conor Faughnan of the Automobile Association said the AA welcomed the move. He said it made sense that foreign-registered cars should be subject to the same rules as other cars. He indicated that bad driving was not just confined to foreign drivers.

"We're kidding ourselves if we think that foreign cars and foreign drivers are worse than our own drivers and the problem of road safety is due to them," he said.
Minister for Transport Martin Cullen announced the law on Sunday, February 12th.
"This move targets all untaxed, uninsured and unlicensed drivers by moving to close off this loophole, it means all drivers can have their vehicle impounded if they fail to abide by driving laws," he said.

He reminded those bringing vehicles into the State that all motor vehicles, apart from those brought in temporarily by visitors, must be registered with the Revenue Commissioners.
A vehicle must be registered before it can be licensed for road tax purposes. A vehicle brought in from abroad must be registered and VRT paid by the end of the next working day after its arrival in the State.

The new registration number must be displayed within three days.