Ruth Coppinger
Question:217. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the waiting times for the national car test; and the steps being taken to remedy the current situation. [3107/15]
View answerThursday, 22 January 2015
Questions (217)
Written answers
Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006), the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for the delivery of the National Car Test. The RSA has overall responsibility for the operation, oversight, development, quality assurance and delivery of vehicle testing arrangements.
The first quarter is traditionally the busiest time for the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) because most cars are sold in the first few months of any year. This, however, was anticipated by the NCTS and over 60 additional staff are being made available, bringing the number of Vehicle Inspectors in place this month to approximately 565, the highest in the history of the NCT.
The RSA has also repeatedly emphasised that the availability of appointments on the NCTS website is not a reflection of the total number of test slots available to customers. If a person requires an early test, they should follow the advice on that website which clearly advises that if a suitable slot cannot be obtained online applicants should contact the NCTS call centre directly on (01) 413 5992.
I understand from the RSA that car owners, including those who may require an early test, should receive an NCT appointment within 28 days. In order to meet this standard, in some cases, the NCTS holds requests on a waiting list until a suitable slot is found. In the majority of cases, customers are given a slot within the required timescale.
The RSA has also been encouraging people to book early, as the test may be undertaken up to 90 days in advance of the due test date without affecting the expiry date of the new certificate. This system is to ensure that owners have ample time to have their vehicle tested before their current NCT certificate expires and I would encourage people to avail of this early facility for booking car test appointments.