Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is no participation by any agricultural vehicles in the building trade at present, as the boom is over. That is another factor that should be taken into account.

Another matter concerns roadworthiness testing for cars over three years. There is a certain sector of society, for whom I take the criteria to be qualification for a medical card, in which there is an easing of means testing for those over 70 years of age. A large number of people in remote rural areas live alone and are dependent on their cars. Such testing is unfair and imposes an unnecessary tariff on those people. They do not have the money to pay for a test on an annual basis. The test should be every second year for those people or, alternatively, they should be given an exemption. What we are talking about is the annual cost. Many of these people live alone and have to make their own arrangements for transport. There is a social need to commute to the local village or town to carry out their weekly chores. We need to revisit that issue and make allowances or establish waivers for that sector.