Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 28 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 6

Written Answers. - National Car Test.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

326 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the amount of revenue paid to date to his Department from the National Car Testing Service; the use to which this money has been put; the number of cars to date which have failed the test; if he has in place any strategy for dealing with cars which may be abandoned as a result of failure to pass the test; and his views on whether without such a clear strategy and funding by way of support for the local authorities there is a danger that a serious environmental problem may develop. [27810/00]

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

The National Car Testing Service, NCTS, has made two payments of £250,000 each to my Department in respect of 1999, as well as ten monthly payments this year to date making a total net payment of £877,249.

These moneys are collected to offset the additional costs to the Department arising from the introduction and operation of the NCT. These costs principally relate to the hire of consultants to advise on the running of the public tender competition to select the NCT operator, specialist assistance with the project mobilisation phase and assistance with the supervision of the NCTS.

Statistics on pass or fail rates are available on the NCTS website at www.ncts.ie. It shows that for the period 4 January 2000 to 31 October 2000 a total of 258,959 full tests had been carried out with 54% or 139,838 failing the test. Retests undertaken to date have numbered 135,634 with 13% or 17,632 failing the retest.

My Department is having discussions with the Society of the Irish Motor Industry and others regarding the implementation in Ireland of an EU Parliament and Council Directive on end-of-life vehicles – ELVs. A particular objective of the directive is to ensure that all ELVs are collected, dismantled and recovered by industry at no cost to the final owner of the vehicle and in a manner which does not cause environmental pollution. It is my objective to secure agreement on an acceptable scheme as soon as possible.