Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 Mar 2001

Vol. 532 No. 2

Written Answers. - National Car Test.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

168 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the compensation which he will make available for people whose NCT tests are due but who have been told that they can only tax their cars for three months rather than 12, at an extra cost of £47, due to the current industrial disputes at NCT test centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7185/01]

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

The requirement to present a valid NCT certificate with each application for motor tax renewal in respect of cars liable for the test was suspended with effect from 29 January 2001. This suspension was introduced to take account of certain car owners' difficulties in obtaining NCT certificates, arising out of an industrial dispute at a number of NCT test centres.

Under the temporary arrangements involved, owners of cars that have become liable for their first test since 1 January 2001 may renew their motor tax for a period of up to 12 months without the need to present an NCT certificate. The cars in question are those that were first registered in the years 1992 to 1996.

All pre-1992 cars were required to have been issued with NCT certificates not later than 31 December 2000. In the case of such cars for which NCT certificates were obtained at the appropriate time, motor tax may be renewed for up to 12 months, on presentation of the NCT certificates. In other cases, renewal may be for three months only. In these cases the cars were non-compliant before the industrial dispute began, as the NCT certificates had not been obtained at the time that the cars first became liable for test. I do not envisage compensation as part of this arrangement.