Report suggests vehicles may pay pollution tax

A report in the Irish Examiner on Tuesday, July 25th has claimed that a new plan to cut greenhouse gases responsible for global warming could see company cars paying pollution tax.

Proposals published on Monday, July 24th, could see benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax payable on the amount of carbon emitted from the vehicle instead of the mileage covered. It would mean that the cleaner the vehicle the less the user would have to pay.
The plan is included in a new public consultation document launched by the Environment Minister Dick Roche as part of a reassessment of the country’s strategy to fight climate change.

The proposals are in the document, Ireland’s Pathway to Kyoto Compliance. This looks at progress towards meeting the international carbon reduction targets agreed at the signing of the Kyoyo climate change treaty in 1997.
Another plan is to consider the way Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) and motor tax are charged to favour cleaner and more energy-efficient vehicles.