Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 26 Apr 1990

Vol. 397 No. 10

Written Answers. - Car Compulsory Tests.

Alan Shatter

Question:

27 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the recent RTE Network 2. The Motor Show programme which featured an independent test of 25 cars volunteered by motorists at a Dublin shopping centre and which found that 23 of the cars had serious defects which the supervisor of the test felt would constitute a danger, not only to the motorist concerned but to other road users; if, in view of the implications for road safety, he regards it as unsatisfactory that there is no requirement of a compulsory car test in this country, as there is in most other member states of the European Community; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

My attention has been drawn to the television programme referred to by the Deputy.

The results of tests on 25 cars at Dublin shopping centre cannot be assumed to be statically representative of the 773,000 private cars in the country as a whole. The television programme highlighted the most serious defects found in some of the 23 cars which were deemed to be unroadworthy. I understand that the vehicle owners were informed of these defects by the programme makers.

Under the road traffic code, it is an offence to use an unroadworthy vehicle on a public road. The Garda Síochána are responsible for enforcement to this code.

At present, compulsory annual roadworthiness testing applies to about 45,000 heavy goods vehicles, buses, ambulances and taxies. The Government favour a step by step approach to the extension of compulsory testing to other categories of vehicles. Compulsory testing of light goods vehicles will be introduced in Ireland by 1 January 1995, in accordance with an EC Directive. An estimated 35,000 vehicles over four years old will then be liable to be tested every two years.

A draft EC Directive on compulsory car testing, provides that cars over five years old — 492,000 in Ireland — be tested every two years. Car testing is not yet compulsory in Denmark, France and Ireland. I am keeping the matter under review in the light of relevant developments, including developments at EC level.