THE TAXMAN WILL now be able to give seized vehicles to An Garda Síochána in a move to help the underfunded organisation.
Revenue have made arrangements for condemned vehicles to be kept by its own office or transferred to gardaí “for use in connection with the exercise of Garda functions”.
The necessary statutory instrument was signed by Commissioner Niall Cody on 23 March. Prior to the directive, Revenue sold the vehicles.
Enforcement officers seize a wide range of goods and vehicles for serious offences under Revenue law. The vehicles include articulated trucks and fuel tankers, as well as private motor cars.
In 2011, 109 commercial and 1,826 private vehicles were seized. Last year, officers took ownership of 103 commercial and 1,346 private vehicles. Many seizures occur because of non-payment of required taxes. Others are taken because of smuggling or laundering offences.
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, Revenue said it should be noted that the majority of seized private vehicles are released to the owner on payment of a compromise monetary penalty.
“The vehicles that are retained as condemned are usually those associated with a serious Revenue offence.”
An Garda Síochána is currently going through reforms as senior management face budget cuts and associated challenges. Last month, Commissioner Martin Callinan told sergeants and inspectors that “more needs to be done with fewer resources”.
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