Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government states that the average wait for a national car test, NCT, should be 12 days. In reality, 60% of NCT test centres have no appointment available within the next five months. As of two weeks ago, nine testing centres had no appointment available until August. Drogheda is one of those centres. As a result of the long wait, the certificates of roadworthiness of motorists' vehicles will be out of date. A constituent told me she booked her test on 30 October 2022 and got an appointment on 29 May 2023. Her insurance company told her she will not be covered in every scenario because she does not have a certificate of roadworthiness. She, along with everyone else who does not have that certificate because of the waiting times, will face a €60 fine or three points on her licence. On top of that, to add insult to injury, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, has stated that no customers have received the free test in accordance with the commitment given in the NCT customer charter.

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