Gardaí on patrol in Clifden that stopped a tractor that was being driven through the middle of the town discovered that it had not been taxed “for over 300 days”.
According to gardaí the insurance and Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing (CVRT) certificate for the tractor had also “expired”.
It was confirmed that the driver of the tractor at the time that it was stopped by gardaí was a “16 year-old”.
To drive a tractor you must have a category W licence, according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
A 16 year old, with a provisional learner permit, is permitted to drive work vehicles and tractors with or without a trailer.
Not taxed
According to the RSA offences for driving without insurance are prosecuted in court and can result in five penalty points on conviction.
Failure to display an insurance disk carries an initial fixed charge of €60 (rising to €90 after 28 days).
Is also an offence to drive a vehicle that is not taxed and it is an offence to drive without displaying a current tax disc.
Separately from next Wednesday (January 1, 2025) there is set to be an increase in fees for a number of RSA services.
As part of these changes, the price of a drivers’ licence will increase from €55 to €65. Learner permits will also increase in price from €35 to €45.
A full test under the National Car Test (NCT) will rise from €55 to €60 and a re-test under the NCT is set to increase from €28 to €40.
A Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test will also be subject to a 15% increase in the pre-VAT cost.
According to the RSA the increase in fees for its services is part of “business planning” for the coming year, which includes planned €18 million expenditure on “public interest activities and government priorities”.