Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Landy for raising this matter. As vehicles get older, their condition deteriorates, as evidenced by the increased failure rates for older vehicles undergoing the national car test and commercial vehicle roadworthiness tests. Components such as brakes, steering systems and tyres become more prone to developing faults. Consequently, older vehicles pose a greater risk to other road users and the general public than newer ones. It is, unfortunately, the case that not all vehicle owners adequately maintain their vehicles. Hence, significant numbers of defective vehicles are in use. Evidence from a number of international studies suggests that 4% to 5% of road traffic collisions are directly attributable to vehicle defects.

Introduced in 1991, the commercial vehicle test, formerly known as the DOE test, is a preventative road safety measure designed to ensure that commercial vehicles using Irish roads meet minimum acceptable standards. If used in a public place, commercial vehicles more than one year old, including vintage trucks and buses, must undergo mandatory roadworthiness testing annually and have a valid certificate of roadworthiness. The obligation to undergo mandatory roadworthiness testing annually has applied to vintage trucks since roadworthiness testing of commercial vehicles was first introduced in Ireland in 1991. Thus, the recent enactment of SI 347 of 2013 has not changed the obligation in this regard. Historically, it has been the case that older commercial vehicles have been used for commercial purposes, and that is why commercial vehicles first registered prior to 1 January 1980 have to be tested.

All cars used for commercial purposes have always been required to undergo roadworthiness testing. This includes pre-1980 registered vehicles being used in a commercial capacity, such as wedding cars, limousines and other ceremonial vehicles. These vehicles are classed as small public service vehicles and are required by law to be tested annually up to the tenth anniversary of first registration and thereafter every six months.

I would like to clarify that while there is no exemption for older commercial vehicles, these vehicles are tested to the standards to which they were originally designed and not to the standards applicable to modern vehicles. Vintage vehicles are treated with exceptional care when undergoing an NCT and each vehicle is judged on its merits. For example, vintage vehicles will not be lifted on the wheels-free jacking system and many do not have their brakes tested using the rolling road; a road test is carried out instead.

In accordance with the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020, the Road Safety Authority has undertaken to review the testing environment for vintage vehicles and to make recommendations to me on future roadworthiness testing arrangements for such vehicles. This review will be completed by the first quarter of 2015 and will include a public consultation with all stakeholders.

At the meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications on 12 March 2014, some members of the committee voiced road safety concerns and questioned why vintage trucks, irrespective of how well their owners believed they were maintained, should not undergo some form of roadworthiness inspection, even if only for the purpose of qualifying for eligibility for a reduced insurance premium. At that committee meeting, a suggestion was made that an engineer's report would address the safety issues. The Road Safety Authority will consider this as part of the review but it should be noted that roadworthiness tests are carried out to prescribed standards by personnel trained, supervised and audited against those prescribed standards. Difficulties often arise in verifying the qualifications of the suitably qualified individuals responsible for preparing engineers' reports.

I am also advised that in certain cases insurance companies are happy to have the results of the vehicle test conducted by the authorised test centres rather than relying on an engineer's report. Cars used for commercial purposes are more easily identified as they must be registered as small public service vehicles. On the other hand, it is more difficult to differentiate between goods vehicles used for commercial purposes and those used for social and personal reasons only.

The Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club and other enthusiasts say that such vehicles generally do not travel more than 1,500 km per year on public roads and that using them in a commercial capacity is not viable due to the cost of maintenance and fuel. None the less, consideration needs to be given on how to best to link the motor tax, insurance and vehicle testing requirements to ensure that if the analysis being carried out by the RSA indicates that an exemption should be provided, we can ensure it is afforded only to those vintage trucks genuinely used for social and domestic purposes.

I can assure the Senator that issues will be carefully considered in the review to be conducted by the RSA later this year which, following consultation with the key stakeholders, I am confident will come up with recommendations which reflect the competing needs of road safety, vintage vehicles which have limited road use and those which are used for commercial purposes.