commission – to outline arguments for and against the referendum – however during the campaign against the first Treaty of Nice referendum by the Green Party, Gormley had praised the role of the commission in advancing the pros and cons of the treaty. In July 2008, changes to VRT and road tax which Gormley had brought about the previous year. The charges are now calculated on the basis of the carbon emissions of the vehicle. This had a dramatic effect according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on the type of car sales that have occurred subsequently. In November 2008, he announced new quality standards for rented accommodation which landlords would be obliged to follow. Additional funding for inspections and more severe penalties for landlords who provide substandard accommodation formed part of the initiative. Gormley introduced a "Bike Scheme" in January 2009, which promoted cycling to work by offering tax incentives to employees and employers who purchased bicycles and switched to cycling. The scheme is part of a strategy to double the number of journeys made by bike by 2020, and also includes a multimillion-euro cycle-path upgrade plan. In July 2009, Gormley introduced Non Principal Private Residence tax (NPPR), a tax on second homes and holiday homes, many of which were owned by people working abroad. It was a self declaration tax with no bills being issued to property owners, leaving many caught unaware. The scheme was abandoned in 2014 with first and final bills/letters being issued to home owners. Severe penalties were attached to these letters, a late payment charge which amounted to 600 per cent of the premium (€1,000). In 2014 home owners, of which a significant number were non-resident in Ireland, were facing NPPR penalties up to €7,230 which remains as a permanent charge on the property until fully paid. There was uproar about the size of the penalties, especially from people who live overseas and who say they knew nothing about the NPPR charge until they got these letters. Many feel the 600 per cent penalty charge to be unconstitutional and some have taken their case to the Ombudsman. In 2010, Gormley made a Ministerial order, forcing Councillors on Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council, to revise a decision to rezone lands at The Park, Carrickmines (for retail development) during the framing of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown's County Development Plan late in 2009. The Council ultimately voted for the