![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.regplates.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/dispplate.php_.jpg\" "\\"13")
<\/a><\/p>\nIrish number plates carry the year of the car’s registration as well as the country in which it was registered.<\/p>\n
Keen to head off a dip in sales next year, 2013, the industry wants to replace the “13” on the plate.<\/p>\n
Fear of the number 13 is called Triskaidekaphobia. On some housing estates, there is no number 13 and high-storey buildings sometimes go from a 12th to a 14th floor, skipping out the 13th.<\/p>\n
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) points to estimates that 7% to 8% of the population dislike the unlucky number.<\/p>\n
A press officer for SIMI said this might sound small but it meant a lot to the Irish car industry.<\/p>\n
“Even if it is a small percentage, that means another 5,000 people who may not purchase next year and this will have a significant impact,” she said.<\/p>\n
“In a normal year, new car sales would be about 130,000, but that figure has fallen to 76,000. New car sales have a direct impact on jobs.”<\/p>\n
If people decide not to buy a new car, then the industry which is already under pressure in the Irish recession, could suffer even more.<\/p>\n
SIMI is keen to stop a dip in car sales in Ireland. They said 80% of new cars were sold in the first half of the year, with a spike in January and then a slow decline.<\/p>\n
The group wants the Irish government to introduce a second registration plate mid-year on 1 July. They said this would create a second sales peak and would maintain and stabilise jobs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A new call from Irelands Motor Chiefs to put a ban on personalised number plates that carry 13. Irish number plates carry the year of the car’s registration as well as the country in which it was registered. Keen to<\/p>\n