asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the report on a recent study which claims that 52 per cent of secondhand cars are unfit for use; and the action he proposes to take to ensure the public are protected in this matter.
Written Answers. - Roadworthiness of Cars.
23.
I assume that the Deputy is referring to the results of the free winter motoring safety check conducted by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry and the Dublin Road Safety Council during the period from October to December 1987.
The Road Traffic Acts require that a vehicle used in a public place must be roadworthy. Regulations on the construction, equipment, lighting and use of vehicles lay down detailed technical requirements in relation to vital motor vehicle components, including brakes, steering and tyres. Enforcement of the legal requirements is primarily a matter for the Garda Síochána. The 1986 Garda Report on Crime shows that the Garda took 50,000 prosecutions in respect of vehicle defects.
The EC Commission has proposed a draft Directive requiring the annual road-worthiness testing of certain cars and light goods vehicles. A number of member states have expressed serious reservations about the draft Directive. My Department are assessing the details of the financial and staffing implications of the draft Directive.
When I was formally presented with the results of the winter check on 2 February 1988, I said that I would like to see discussions with interested organisations on the possibility of private sector involvement in the supervision of vehicle testing — with the State retaining a residual role. A discussion document is being prepared by my Department, with a view to initiating discussions with interested organisations next month.