The Irish Independent today reports that motorists are having their cars seized in unprecedented numbers because they are refusing to tax or insure them or apply for the NCT. 26,044 cars were seized by Gardai at the roadside last year which was more than twice the amount in previous years, according to Treacy Hogan.

The Irish Independent conducted an investigation which measured the likelihood of a motorist getting caught for failure to pay for tax, insurance, or arrange an NCT for the vehicle, and discovered that the chances of getting caught are considerably higher owing to a Garda clampdown, principally due to an expansion of the Garda Traffic Corp.

The number of motorists prosecuted for driving a car without a valid NCT has has increased dramatically. The newspaper reports that in February 2010, 198 drivers were convicted for using a vehicle without a test certificate. As of April 31, the figure had risen to 2,810. In the first three months of this year, 8,180 vehicles were taken off their owners at roadside checkpoints.

Road Safety Authority chief executive Noel Brett said:

“We are delighted with the high level of garda enforcement but it is very disappointing to see that 26,000 cars were seized last year. These are 26,000 cars that have no tax or no insurance and many of them would be unroadworthy.”

The article states that seized cars are kept by Gardai for six weeks, during which time their owners can reclaim them providing they present evidence of having paid their tax, insurance or passed their NCT.

Owners have to pay €125 for the first 24 hours their car is in the pound, plus €35 a day after that. After six weeks, if the cars are not reclaimed, they are crushed and recycled. Around a third of all vehicles are returned to their owners.