Vol. 546 No. 3
278 Mr. P. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to an anomaly in regulations recently introduced by his Department where motorists whose car tax has expired and who, although they have a date for the national car test after the expiry date, are not being allowed to renew their car tax even for a three month period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31844/01]
Arising from industrial action earlier this year at the National Car Testing Service – NCTS Limited – the requirement to present a valid NCT certificate in order to tax a car liable to testing was suspended. Having received firm assurances by the company that it had restored service to a position where every car owner who required a test was being offered an appointment for the test well in advance of the date on which the test certificate was required, my Department reinstated the requirement to present an NCT certificate when taxing a car liable for the test, with effect from 1 November. As an additional customer service safeguard, the company undertook to provide urgent test appointments for any car owner requiring an NCT certificate in order to tax his/her vehicle.
I am aware that there have been difficulties such as those referred to by the Deputy. I am investigating these at present in conjunction with the company with a view to any appropriate action.
