Council plans to close Nutgrove motor tax office

THERE HAS been an angry reaction to the announcement of plans by Dublin City Council to close the motor taxation office in Rathfarnham in south Dublin.

The local authority has signalled plans to close the motor tax office at Nutgrove Shopping Centre in Rathfarnham as part of cost-cutting measures. The centre, refurbished in recent years, is due to close at the end of December.

Meanwhile, there is a question mark about the office on the first floor of the building which has been rented under a 20-year lease agreement not due to expire until 2020. The total value of the lease to that date is €1.5 million.

It is understood the council will not save money on the closure in terms of staff as those currently working at the office are to be redeployed.

The Nutgrove motor tax office is one of four run by Dublin City Council.

The others are in Clondalkin, Ballymun and the city centre. The council runs motor taxation services for all four local authorities in the Dublin area.

Earlier this week, the council informed its councillors of the plans, and yesterday it told Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county manager Owen Keegan of its decision.

In a letter to Mr Keegan, the council said the closure was part of a “rationalisation” under the Croke Park agreement that would facilitate “service cost reduction”.

“The consolidation of the existing number of staff in three locations will ensure adequate numbers and structures to meet the current demands of providing the motor tax service,” the letter said.

The council met with unions earlier this week to begin consultation on the closure of the office.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown councillor Gerry Horkan (FF) said the decision to close would affect people in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown more than in Dublin city.

He said it was already a long way from Little Bray to Nutgrove and the journey to the nearest tax office would be far longer if the closure went ahead.

Not all of the services offered at the motor tax office could be availed of online, including taxing for the first time, changing ownership and getting replacement documents. No one would be let go, he said, so there would be no savings on staff costs and Dublin City Council would “either have to buy out the lease or be stuck with it”.

In a statement yesterday, the council said the consultation period with staff would take approximately six weeks.

“Dublin City Council is not in a position to disclose details of the consultation at this juncture, prior to the discussions reaching a conclusion,” it said.

It declined to comment on the 20-year lease agreement.