BMW urged government to relent on carbon taxes

Motor giant lobbied against new VRT bands later adopted in this year’s budget

BMW claimed the government’s plans had threatened to ‘erode the automotive sector sharply at an extremely challenging time’

BMW lobbied the Department of Finance and Taoiseach Micheál Martin before last year’s budget, warning them of the “unintended consequences” of increasing vehicle registration tax on petrol and diesel cars.

An executive from the motor giant met Gerry Kenny, the head of the department’s indirect taxes unit, in early October in a bid to “lessen the adverse tax impact on new diesel models sold in Ireland”, the lobbying register shows.

Kevin Davidson, the managing director ...