Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The statutory responsibility for roadworthiness testing lies with the Road Safety Authority, RSA. However, I am very much aware of vehicle owners' concerns over delays this year in securing test appointments. I have emphasised to the RSA the importance of reducing the test backlog and my officials are meeting weekly with the RSA to monitor progress in reducing delays. My Department will continue to keep the situation under close review while supporting any appropriate requests from the RSA for assistance.

Work is under way to increase test centre capacity and restore the average appointment waiting time to an acceptable level. To date, a priority waiting list has been established for motorists to avail of cancellations. The contractor is providing 22 vehicle inspectors from its Spanish operation and the RSA has approved a pilot for additional inspection personnel in automated elements of the test. These measures are in addition to the 53 new staff employed by the National Car Testing Service, NCTS, earlier this year and a significant increase in staff overtime that allows eight tests per tester per day instead of seven. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy English, with my Department's assistance, is allowing recruitment of up to 100 non-EU testers. Some 44 additional testers are expected before the end of the year for test centres with the most significant delays.

The NCT service contract is held by the RSA. As Minister of State, I do not have a role in its administration. Contractual sanctions are a matter for the RSA and penalty clauses apply where the contractor breaches key indicators. The RSA has confirmed that contract mechanisms have applied where service levels have not been met. The contractor is disputing these, however, and further discussions are planned in the coming weeks.

With regard to qualifications, I can confirm that the temporary vehicle inspectors from Spain are qualified to Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, level 5, which is the standard in many EU member states and the UK. Until 2020, the QQI level 5 certification was considered the appropriate minimum requirement for vehicle inspectors in the State. This was changed in accordance with apprenticeship changes in Ireland as well as to align with the commercial standard.

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