Brian Hennessy

THE Irish sport horse industry received a huge budget bonus this week, with news that much criticised motor tax rates for horse lorries are to be slashed, with some equestrian motorists set to save in excess of €4,000.

The existing system of up to 20 different tax bands for commercial vehicles, which carries a maximum rate of €5,195 per annum, is to be replaced with just five tax bands, with the maximum rate cut to €900. Those with smaller horse lorries of under 12,000kgs (12-tonne), will see their annual road tax fall to just €500, a saving of almost €2,000. The new lowest annual rate of €92 will apply only to electric vehicles, while the current rate of €333 for light commercials and car-vans up to 3,000kgs, will remain unchanged.

Vehicles up to 4,000kgs will now have a rate of €420, while vehicles between 4,000kgs and 12,000kgs can be taxed for €500. All commercial vehicles over 12,000kgs will now have a maximum annual rate of €900.

Owner of one of Ireland’s largest horse transport companies, George Mullins, said: “I am very happy with this news, it is probably even more beneficial to trainers and people with their own horse trucks who use them very little. I think you will see more small horse trucks now back on the road with this new rate. The Irish Road Haulage Association has done a super job lobbying for this and it does make sense for the Government. Many Irish companies were registering their trucks in the UK and The Netherlands to get a cheaper motor tax rate.

“I know of one Irish company that has 50 trucks registered abroad, they will probably now register here in Ireland. We have about 10 trucks on the road and most of those were costing between €3,500 and €4,000 per year each in motor tax.”

Oliver Cooper, from Cooper International Horse Transport in Dublin added: “Every bit helps and this is certainly welcome. The overheads involved in running a business like ours are huge with all the different regulations. We have two large trucks and one small one on the road and another one arriving shortly so it is a positive step,” he said.

President of the Irish Road Haulage Association, Verona Murphy commented: “It is with a huge degree of relief for the licensed haulage industry that the Government has responded to the representations of the IRHA as this was a make or break period for the industry. The Association has been seeking an overhaul of road tax for HGVs for countless years as the legislation was draconian and hampered a progressive approach to business as a result of the exorbitant charges.”

On announcing the new measures, Minister of Finance Michael Noonan TD (FG) said the changes were necessary as Ireland’s system compared unfavourably with the one in Northern Ireland and Britain.