Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 May 2023
38. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of a consequence of delays in NCT testing whereby people who have had to wait a number of months to access an NCT test are then due for their annual NCT again a short number of months later; if it is correct that this results in two tests within the same 12-month period; and if there are plans to address this issue given the delays currently faced within the booking system. [26482/23]
View answerUnder European Directive 2014/45/EU on periodic roadworthiness testing, Ireland, like all Member States, must comply with the minimum specified intervals for carrying out such inspections. This is given effect in Irish law by the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (SI 415/2017), as amended.
Regulation 3(2) of the 2017 Regulations provides that the initial test due date for a vehicle is determined by its registration date and subsequent test due dates automatically fall on anniversaries of the registration date. Any certificate issued for that vehicle will be valid up to the test due date after the certificate is issued and is not automatically issued for 24 months, or 12 months in the case of vehicles over 10 years old, from the date of testing.
Permitting NCT certificates to be extended beyond the minimum test due dates without inspections would place the State in breach of our obligations under EU law and may affect road safety, should the vehicle in question be unsafe to drive. There are no current plans to amend this legislation.
