Richard Bruton
Ceist:82 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment the regulations which are currently in place in Ireland relating to emissions from motor vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Motor Vehicle Emissions Regulations.
Emissions from motor vehicles are at present governed by Articles 30 and 90 of the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963. In addition, heavy goods vehicles, buses and ambulances are subject, under the European Communities (Vehicles Testing) Regulations, 1981 to 1986, to an annual roadworthiness test which includes pollution-smoke tests on exhaust systems.
The existing statutory framework must be extended to take account of EC Directives on the control of gaseous emissions from new vehicles. The EC Directives set emission standards for carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulates, and will require the use of unleaded petrol and, in many cases, catalytic convectors on new cars.
The type-approval aspects of the Directives have been implemented in Ireland by way of statutory instruments made by the Minister for Industry and Commerce. The implementation of the other aspects of the Directives, in particular the prohibition of entry into service of new vehicles which do not meet the required standards, will be the subject of a discussion paper which it is hoped to have published before the end of the year, with a view to having these provisions transposed into Irish legislation as soon as possible.