Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 15 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 2

Written Answers. - Car Testing Service.

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

299 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the position regarding an MOT centre for Inishowen in view of the fact many of the population are 40 to 50 miles from Letterkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter in view of the fact that centres were proposed to serve a radius of not more than 30 miles. [15021/99]

Alan M. Dukes

Ceist:

309 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of test centres for motor cars which will be provided by the approved contractor under the car testing scheme; if he has satisfied himself that the coverage will not entail excessive travelling for persons bringing their cars for testing; the service obligations, if any, placed on the contractor; and if the contractor will be obliged to provide the service to each applicant within a reasonable and specified time. [15221/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 and 309 together.

SGS Ireland Limited operating as the National Car Testing Service Limited has been awarded a ten year contract following an international competitive tender process to establish and operate the car testing system. Under the contract NCTS will establish and operate 43 test centres, including two fixed centres and one mobile centre in Donegal.

In accordance with the invitation to tender, the desired coverage of the car testing service was specified as involving, commensurate with the provision of an economic service, each centre being located within 30 miles of 90 per cent of the car owners served by it and situated within or close to a large town served by national roads. The list of centres is included in a press release of 15 December 1998, a copy of which is in the Oireachtas Library. The project agreement with the contractor requires quality customer service, involving the necessity to meet relevant performance standards, including maximum and average waiting times.