Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2004
220 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Transport his views on the fact that, due to the changes whereby a driver tester no longer checks for the presence of a motor tax disc, these testers will now be carried in vehicles that are illegally on the road; his further views on whether, under the rules of the road, a vehicle should be properly taxed before it is taken out on the road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33300/04]
View answerUnder the Road Traffic Acts the role of a driver tester is to assess the driving competency of candidates presenting for a driving test. A driver tester has no enforcement function in relation to the validity of motor tax discs and is not empowered to refuse to conduct a test on the basis of an invalid tax disc. This position has been confirmed by legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General. The enforcement of motor tax law is a matter for the Garda Síochána.
