Cavanmonaghan drivers paid over 36m on motor tax

The Government should come clean and tell residents how much of the €36m paid in motor tax last year was handed over to Irish Water to help cover the costs of its “lavish” set-up.
That’s the view of Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith.
“At a time when people are crying out for real change and more transparency, this government is raiding the local tax revenues paid over by people in Cavan and Monaghan for our roads to prop up Irish Water. This is a failed entity with no public confidence or support. It should not be a further drain on the resources of our people,” he said.
Deputy Smith claimed that drivers in Cavan and Monaghan paid out some €36,180,823 in motor tax during 2014. “My colleague Sean Fleming has confirmed through meetings of the Public Accounts Committee that €290m from motor taxation nationally was given as a subvention to Irish Water by the Department of Environment last year. I want to know how much of that money was taken from Cavan and Monaghan. Drivers are under the impression their motor tax is being spent on upgrading and improving our roads, not funding a lavish new super quango that has failed to muster any public confidence whatsoever.
“At the very same time, the condition of many road across the two counties is rapidly deteriorating.
“People will be utterly shocked to hear this news. It comes at a time when over €500m is being wasted on water meters, which will not be used for at least five years; while another €90m has been spent on consultants’ fees. Despite these extortionate costs, not one extra cent has actually been spent on fixing leaks or pipes so far. Irish Water should never have been established in this way. Fine Gael and Labour have created a monster that they have lost complete control over. Now, in order to help cover-up its failed funding model the Government is plundering revenues from local services in order to mask the fiasco that is Irish Water.”