Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2019
1287. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a passport is an acceptable form of identification for national car test, NCT, centres; if not, the reason it is not accepted; and the form of identification that should be presented. [18894/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 415 of 2017), provide the legal basis under which proof of identification is required by an NCT Test Centre when a vehicle is presented for roadworthiness testing. The Regulations permit an NCT Test Centre to withhold a vehicle’s test certificate until identification has been produced. The Data Protection Commissioner has deemed a driving licence to be the most appropriate form of identification for this purpose as a driver is required to produce a driving licence when operating a vehicle in a public place.
The Regulations also permit the details from the form of identification to be recorded by an NCT Test Centre. The data recorded is held for a period of 12 months and then deleted. As the Data Protection Commissioner would not permit the recording and retention of passport details, the use of a passport for identification purposes was discontinued. If a driving license cannot be produced at the NCT Test Centre, the use of a Public Services Card for identification purposes is permitted.
The recorded identification details allows the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to trace cars for follow-up quality inspections, particularly where there has been a recent change in ownership. In addition, the application of these measures also acts as a deterrent to fraudulent activity in relation to roadworthiness testing. It is important information to help identify and investigate unusual patterns of activity relating to test quality or outcomes where a common thread in such unusual patterns may involve the presenter of the vehicle(s).
