One in ten drivers is not paying motor tax and a Government plan to try and catch these drivers has not been implemented, Fine Gael claimed this morning.
The party's environment spokesman Fergus O'Dowd said documents released to him under the Freedom of Information Act showed that the Government estimates 10 per cent of motor tax revenue is not collected every year, resulting in a loss of between €30 to €40 million to the Exchequer.
According to a statement from Mr O'Dowd, the documents from October 2005 show the Government was planning to try and recoup this revenue by targeting those evading motor tax but that the plan was never implemented.
"This missing money would pay for the upgrading of regional roads many of which are sub-standard, filled with potholes and falling apart."
Mr O'Dowd said his party had developed a plan to upgrade sub-standard rural roads and signs across the country, by requiring every local authority to conduct an annual audit of road conditions.
"Roads would be graded according to their condition, with the worst roads targeted as a priority. The cost of this plan amounts to €10 million and would be paid for four times over by the missing tax money," he said.