Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2015
596. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views that a change is required to the regulations relating to the definition of vintage cars so that there is a rolling 30-year age criteria rather than the current fixed date of pre-1980 vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3538/15]
View answer601. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide exemptions from road worthiness tests to pre-1980 vintage veteran vehicles in order to reduce the regulatory burden on owners of historic vehicles in line with a similar exemption which already applies to pre-1980 vintage cars which do not require national car test road worthiness testing under the provisions of the Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act; the reasons vintage veteran vehicles were excluded from exemptions despite numerous public submissions on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3568/15]
View answer602. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the exemption for testing of vintage vehicles will be changed to a 30-year rolling exemption; if this will also include buses, trucks and trailers in view of the fact that vintage vehicles are important from a hobby, heritage and employment point of view; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3680/15]
View answer608. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way vintage veteran vehicles will be protected; his plans to maintain the exemption from testing for vehicles registered prior to 1 January 1980; his views on changing this to a 30-year rolling exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3814/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 596, 601, 602 and 608 together.
Under the Government's 2013-2020 Road Safety Strategy, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) was tasked with conducting a review of the roadworthiness testing of vintage vehicles to determine the safety case and cost benefits, if any, for inclusion in roadworthiness testing.
The RSA has now completed this review which included a public consultation exercise that attracted in the region of 2,000 submissions. The scope of the RSA's review covered those vehicles types for which roadworthiness testing regimes currently exist namely, passenger cars, ambulances, motor caravans, buses, goods vehicles and their trailers.
My Department received the RSA's review findings and proposals recently and these will be examined by my officials with a view to submitting early recommendations to me which I will consider in due course.
