Stephen Donnelly apparently driving with no motor tax for 8 months now

Galwayguy35

Regardless whether the car was registered to him or is wife its baffling how neither of them spotted it being out of date for 8 months.

Getting into a car every day surely at some point they gave a glance at the windscreen and noticed it because unlike the insurance disc the tax one has big numbers on it.

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120651496#Comment_120651496

Yes and you get reminder by post or email

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120652431#Comment_120652431

True but its easy to read an email on your phone and then forget to action it later when you have time, I went 3 months once until I noticed id forgotten to do it, I paid the fine and have no problem with it as I made a mistake but from my perspective its an easy one to make and I don't really get why everyone's so up in arms about such a non story. In fact The weird piousness of some people in this thread about checking tax on every car every time they drive and never doing anything wrong or forgetting things ever is kinda laughable. I once left my old insurance disc in for a whole year, I was insured but simply forgot to change it over am I the devil now?

the kelt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120652652#Comment_120652652

I drove my car for with the tax out of date by over 6 months, hadnt a notion it wasnt taxed, didnt get any reminders by post or none by email other than the initial email saying your tax is up the end of this month. Was literally standing by the car talking to a fella at a match one day and he tells me my "your tax is out lad". Paid the fine, taxed the car, felt shame to my bones for months on end lol!

There are some serious cases of ocd doing the rounds with people on this thread in all honesty, checking every day to see of the car is taxed, not driving another car without first checking tax is paid, insurance details up to scratch, tyres in good working order etc etc.

Donnelly is probably the greatest ministerial spoofer theres ever been but really this much outrage because his wifes car "may or may not have been taxed" whilst he "may or may not have been driving it" is kinda embarrassing really!

I wish there was some actual reason to get rid of Donnelly like the actual fact hes an absolute cretin of a minister doing a terrible job and an extremely unlikeable fella having dealt and met with him personally but nah this isnt it, in fact this is "high school whatsapp" level journalism from the ditch, must try harder if they are to be taken seriously in my book.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120640727#Comment_120640727

What on earth has his salary got to do with his tax? I earn more than him, should I be held to an even higher account?

I don't see it as any more wrong than anyone else forgetting to do it, if he deliberately didnt do it then its a different conversation.

JP Liz V1

I get anyone can forget maybe a month or two but surely not eight months

HeidiHeidi

I too merrily drove around the place for about 6 months with no tax a few years back - I had got a renewal email, closed it, and promptly forgot all about it.

I was away for a weekend in Ireland, and got a parking ticket for no tax. Checked, and sure enough, last year's tax disc was displayed. I'd had the windscreen replaced a couple of weeks previously and assumed the new disc was either lost or taken then.

It never even occurred to me that I didn't have tax - I appealed the ticket, got all sorts of bodies involved in the process, and only when I emailed the tax office to get a copy of my receipt to support my appeal, was it confirmed that no, I did not in fact have current road tax.

MORTO!!!!!

I paid the back tax, and the fine - and needless to say, as soon as the email reminder comes in these days, the tax is paid the same day!

And I am usually the most organised, anal person in the world about these things.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120653771#Comment_120653771

Once its forgotten its unlikely you will remember unless its pointed out to you.

Potential-Monke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120653429#Comment_120653429

I was having a go at his €156k+ salary and forgetting to pay €133 anual tax. The rich seem to forget to pay for a lot of things. He should be held to a higher account because he's a well paid TD, should be leading by example.

But, it doesn't surprise me that people seem to think breaking the law is ok because it's "victimless" or minor. Apparantly forgetting is ok. Shur everyone does it. But they don't. Most people tax on time. Then again, I expect no less from humanity tbh. People can't see past their own bubbles.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120655468#Comment_120655468

Noone said it was okay, people arent forgiving a victimless crime just that its simply easy and understandable to forget to do it. The idea that this is a class thing is ludicrous and I find your last sentence highly ironic as I have regularly driven other peoples cars and others have driven my car and never have I or they checked the tax disc, think your definitely in your own weird ocd bubble there.....

Donnely is a bellend and his wife should pay any fine if she needs to but beyond that any more outrage on this non issue is pretty pathetic.

Potential-Monke

So you're basically admitting that you consistently break traffic laws, because you forget or don't bother to check, and shur tis grand as we're all at it (we're not). Where's the class thing coming from? I was pointing out he has more than enough money to pay a tiny tax. That's it. No class. As an elected official, he's expected to lead by example. When I was a Garda, I could have got in serious bother if my discs were not up to date.

And forgetting something is not an excuse. But people like you think it's ok. How can things improve if people don't want to? I'm sure the Garda would be understanding, "Ah shur, I forgot Garda, you know yourself shur!" "I do, yeah. Now please get out of the vehicle as I'm seizing it for not being taxed for over 2 months". What's pathetic is people excusing it. But that's what we (humanity) do, excuse things we don't think makes a difference, regardless of law.

JP Liz V1

He is lucky the car was not impounded by AGS

Ha Long Bay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120656032#Comment_120656032

Why? Do you have details that the car was not taxed?

If so could you post it here and maybe send it to the Ditch as well so they can update their article.

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120656065#Comment_120656065

SD admitted it was true, car not taxed

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/stephen-donnelly-admits-driving-car-30087755

Ha Long Bay

Thanks for the link.

"He said: “Yes, absolutely, I didn’t see that it was the situation. But once I was made aware of the situation, that was rectified.”

Can't see anymore reason for thread to be honest.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120653429#Comment_120653429

Accountability should be applied fairly and consistently to all individuals, regardless of their income.

It's important to uphold principles of fairness, integrity, and ethical behavior in evaluating and holding individuals accountable for their actions, regardless of their financial status.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120655939#Comment_120655939

Lol yeah everything is black and white there's no Grey anywhere, also my 3 month out of date disc was noticed by a gard at a checkpoint and they just told me to get it sorted.

I didn't say I was breaking the law just that I don't check if I'm driving someone else's car as I think it's their car so their responsibility and I assume they are on top of it. If they aren't they will get a fine next time they pay or like you say the car will be impounded if an unfriendly gardai stops me so it's no skin off my nose.

Once again you seem to not be reading posts and nobody once has excused it all that's happened is people pointing out in the grand scheme of things this is really a minor thing, but hey if you think forgetting car tax should be treated with the same seriousness as murder or other high level crimes you should run for election.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120655468#Comment_120655468

I dont think anyone said its ok?

More so that people do forget things, you shouldnt immediately assume that he was sticking it to the common worker because he is a rich overlord.

He forgot, people forget, especially now when there is no postal reminder.

Potential-Monke

"People forget things" - TD's shouldn't. That's the point. At least I hold them to a higher standard than your regular person. He also forgot to register a property. He's very forgetful. And yet he's minister for health. I amazingly manage to tax my car on time every year. It's one of the few responsibilities of a car owner. Ensuring a car belonging to someone else is up to date is also the responsibility of the driver. You again just admitted to not checking a car you're about to drive because you assume it's correct, yet that could invalidate your insurance if something was wrong, so you're admitting to possibly driving without insurance. It's your responsibility. It's this attitude I've an issue with. People picking and choosing which laws to obey based on their own personal opinions of the validity of that law. Selfishness. Expected.

Funny it seems to be only other people who "forget" who don't think this isn't an issue...

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120659523#Comment_120659523

If you expect complete and utter perfection from elected officials you will always be disappointed as they at the end of the day are just as human as everyone else and yes may even forget things sometimes.

Also he didnt forget to pay the tax his wife did.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120659559#Comment_120659559

I've never heard of a TD forgetting to claim an expense, or allowance. Forgetfulness is only one way it seems.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120664504#Comment_120664504

Yes a TDs staff staff are probably responsible for filing for them, I'm guessing they arent responsible and nor should they be for paying the ministers wife's car tax, or even checking if every car he gets in to drive is taxed..... if it came out his office was doing the former the same people complaining now would be up in arms about that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120635572#Comment_120635572

But why not answer the question? I can't see either what the problem is with the tweet you shared.

Anyway, people are getting weirdly worked up here over something that might not even be true. And when people point that out, it's "Oh you're an FFG shill". Good deal of growing up required. Some people prefer evidence based information - no matter whom or what the story concerns. This does not betray any political preference. You don't need to be a FF/FG fan to seek verification.

And you can both dislike FF/FG AND Tech Gemma.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120664782#Comment_120664782

Pointless comment. More fantasy posting. The driver of the vehicle is responsible for making sure the vehicle is taxed, NCTd and that valid insurance is in place to allow the driver to use the vehicle...be it open drive, or their own "driving other cars" policy on an already insured car.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120665931#Comment_120665931

Ahh the perfect human argument again...... I dont like donnelly, he has no business being in charge of Health but this whole story is fvcking stupid and the outrage over it is even stupider.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120665989#Comment_120665989

Perfection isn't required for paying motor tax on time. Very little care and attention is required to notice it is due and to then make payment. Emails are sent as a reminder. Either pay it right away, or mark email as unread until it's paid. The other clue is the big numbers on the disc in the windscreen. Non payment for a regular driver or co-owner requires beyond the pale levels of forgetfulness, laziness, or purposeful non-compliance.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120666623#Comment_120666623

Its very easy to forget as I mentioned previously i went 3 months without paying motor tax once, I also once forget to put my new insurance disc in my car for a whole year. Some people are more forgetful than others and apparently nobody is as perfect as you.

The outrage over this is honestly the most pathetic politically driven non story ive seen for a long time in irish politics.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120637670#Comment_120637670

So you never once forgot to pay a bill on time yourself?

Jaysus christ 🙄

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120647311#Comment_120647311

You'd have to be mad to display a tax disc on a motorbike in Ireland, I haven't for 25 years now (I keep it in a wallet). Either the holder leaks in no time and it turns into illegible pulp, somebody nicks it for their own use, or some cnut rips it off and fecks it into a ditch somewhere just because they like breaking things. It's a stupid law. No garda I've encountered has ever had a problem with this either.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120666983#Comment_120666983

On bikes, Gards usually use common sense as long as you can show it is taxed. I kept mine in a cubby. On cars, it's easy to see whether there is tax or not, thanks to the large month and year displayed