Vol. 424 No. 2
152 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment if he proposes to introduce the Directive requiring that all motor vehicles sold after 1st January, 1993 be fitted with catalytic convertors; if he will allow new motor vehicles in stock from October, 1992 to be disposed of within a particular time period in 1993 without requiring that the details of the Directive apply to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I will shortly be making Regulations to implement Directive 91/441/EEC on measures against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles. These Regulations will generally prohibit new cars and certain other new vehicles from entering into service on or after 1 January 1993 unless they conform to the emission standards of the Directive; in the case of petrol-engined vehicles these standards require that the vehicles should be equipped with catalytic convertors.
Directive 92/53/EEC on motor vehicle type approval includes an "end of series" provision whereby member states may permit the entry into service of new vehicles whose type approval is no longer valid, subject to restrictions on the number of such vehicles and the time within which they may enter into service. The Society for the Irish Motor Industry has represented that a transitional exception of this kind should be embodied in the Regulations.
I am at present finalising my consideration of the issues involved and will make an announcement shortly.
