Scrappage scheme a major plus for Offaly car dealers

The scrappage scheme introduced by the Government in Wednesday's budget has been hailed as "a major plus" for car dealers in Offaly. Ireland's motor industry has been in crisis during 2009, with several dealerships closing and a dramatic drop in new car sales, when compared with previous years. Pat Marsh, owner of the Tullamore Nissan dealership, said a Government scrappage scheme was something the industry had been seeking for some time. "It's brilliant to get it," he told the Offaly Independent yesterday (Thursday). "There's no doubt that it will help to generate showroom traffic. Hopefully it will instill more confidence in the public in the new year and will encourage them to go out and change their car. "If the scheme results in 10,000 more sales next year - and each dealership gets 10 or 15 extra sales out of that - it will be a plus for the industry." The new scheme, for cars of ten years or older, will see a €1,500 reduction of Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) on the purchase of a new low-emissions car when an applicable used car is traded-in against it. The scrappage scheme is being introduced with effect from January 1, 2010, and will run until December 31, 2010.