Quad Bikes Untaxable – Doyle

Following recent meetings with the Department of the Environment and Revenue, IFA Farm Business Chairman Tom Doyle has said there are serious deficiencies in the current motor tax treatment of agricultural quad bikes which makes them untaxable on Irish roads.

He said, “Recent statements by the Department of the Environment classifying farm quads as general haulage tractors, which imposes a ridiculous rate of tax, is not acceptable and not enforceable, as quads can’t be registered on the NCT system”.

In the past decade, quad bikes have become the vehicle of choice for farmers for herding stock and general transport around farms throughout the country. The situation as it currently exists means that it is impossible to register and tax farm quads for use on the public roads due to the Irish interpretation of EU directives on type approval of vehicles. The IFA will be writing to the Department of Justice and An Garda Siochana to advise them of this fact and insist that no farmer found on a public road with an agriculture quad will be fined.

Mr Doyle said, “In the UK, farmers using a quad bike for agricultural use can register them as light agricultural vehicles. This allows farmers to get a ‘nil value’ tax disc and use the quad bike on the road if travelling less than 1.5km between sites. An agricultural quad bike used on the road doesn’t need an NCT, but must be registered, licensed for road use, have a number plate, and a minimum of third party insurance”.

Tom Doyle concluded, “What we now need is a workable solution similar to that in operation in the UK. The IFA has met with the Department of the Environment and Revenue on these issues and is calling on the myriad of organizations involved in the registering, taxing and distribution of such vehicles to come together and sort out this unsustainable situation”.