Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Nov 1996

Vol. 472 No. 1

Written Answers. - MOT Test Centre.

Séamus Hughes

Question:

176 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for the Environment further to his replies to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 148 of 5 November and 124 of 6 November 1996, whether it is his policy to have more than one dedicated MOT test centre in each county; whether the franchisee will be the owner or operator of his/her respective test centres or whether the franchisee will have the authority to appoint agents to act on his/her behalf in each county; the arrangements, if any, which will be put in place, such as in a county the size of County Mayo, where a motorist may have to travel in excess of 90 miles to a centralised centre; and his views on whether authorised independent garages which have a wide, evenly spread geographical coverage of the country would be the most appropriate mechanism for the operation of the MOT testing scheme. [22500/96]

Paul Bradford

Question:

188 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for the Environment the procedure to be followed by a person wishing to operate a MOT vehicle test centre. [22717/96]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 188 together.

Car testing will be carried out at dedicated test centres established and operated by a franchisee to be appointed on a national basis, following an open competitive tendering process. It is envisaged that test centres will be strategically located in an integrated national network to minimise the distance motorists will be required to travel for a test; in addition, consideration will be given to the use of mobile test centers in more remote areas. The franchisee will be responsible for providing suitable premises for test centres and will not have the authority to appoint agents to carry out testing on its behalf. The proposed system will be based on dedicated testing centres and will operate independently of commercial garages where servicing and normal repairs are carried out.