Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I move:

That Seanad Éireann

acknowledges the widespread public concern relating to the operation of the national car testing system since it was introduced in January 2002;

believes that it is now time, mid way through the life of the existing NCT contract to re-examine the operation of this contract;

notes that there is an unequal distribution of testing centres nationally, with only three out of 43 NCT centres based in Dublin, despite having one-third of all registered cars in the State;

notes also that there is only one provider of the NCT service; resulting in unnecessary bureaucracy and lengthy delays for those waiting to avail of car testing services;

calls for a greater ease of access and a greater choice of service providers of the National Car Testing Service for Irish motorists than is currently available; and

calls for the introduction of greater competition into the car testing market by permitting State licensed garages to operate the NCT for fixed periods.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish him well in his Ministry. I also welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion. I hope there will be a good debate. Given that one in two cars fails the NCT test, I also hope the Minister of State will accept all or part of the motion. I am disappointed at the Government's attitude in proposing an amendment because it is an issue which is discussed in every pub and church ground throughout the country.

The motion has at its core a motivation to improve the current national car testing system. The NCT system is a valuable and worthwhile service, which has done much to improve the condition of cars on our roads. From an environmental perspective, it plays a significant role in regulating car emissions and has contributed significantly in helping to reduce the level of toxic emissions. The mere existence of the test has encouraged the motoring industry to strive to manufacture emission-reducing cars.

However, whether one supports or rejects the need for the NCT, its existence is premised on the need to fulfil an EU directive which compels Ireland to have a national car testing system. Fine Gael totally supports the necessity for a car testing service but we are unhappy with the way the service currently operates. In this regard, the decision to table the motion does not come from a party political perspective but is an attempt to articulate the concerns held by the public in connection with the existing car testing system. We are attempting to come up with a worthwhile solution which will alleviate the public's concerns.

Each week I and my colleagues in Fine Gael receive countless complaints from all corners of Ireland about the existing car testing service. I am sure Fine Gael is not alone in this regard and that Members from all parties, and non-party Members, can testify to being made aware of the significant public dissatisfaction through the numerous representations and correspondence they have received from constituents. The most obvious concern has been the failure rate. The latter appears too high and I make no bones about saying so. One in two cars fails the test. When this service first began in 2000, it was stipulated that pre-1992 cars should be tested. Given their age, when such cars were subject to testing it was likely and credible that the rate of failure would be high. In more recent years cars presenting for testing have been newer and are often only four years old, but instead of the failure rate reducing, the rate has crept higher. This makes no sense.

There is no doubt that the number of older cars on our roads has fallen dramatically. All one needs to do to confirm this is to look around and see that the majority of cars on our roads have a 00 to 04 registration. One reason for this is the growth in prosperity which has allowed people to upgrade their cars or purchase new ones more often. A further reason is the car test and the fear that older cars will fail it, which has made older second-hand cars less attractive to potential buyers. The scrappage package brought in some years ago by former Minister, Deputy Quinn, also assisted in the reduction in the number of older cars.

When all these factors are considered, the failure rate in the car test makes no sense. In 2001, 35% of cars failed the test. Up to 2004, 50% of all cars presented for the test failed. The figures do not add up. I have been told that 90% of cars pass on their second test. However, it is still worrying to know that one in ten of all cars nationally is subjected to third or subsequent tests. The most valid comparison we can make is with our counterparts in Northern Ireland where almost 80% of all cars tested pass first time. I see no reason we cannot achieve similar rates.

Our high failure rate needs to be explained. The big problem is the damage inflicted on public confidence in the system. Public suspicion and anger towards the service have festered. To be fair to the public, it initially embraced the idea of a car testing service in a fair and open-minded way. However, the public mood has waned. Now, most people have tales of dissatisfaction. We have all heard stories about the car that was fully pre-checked but still failed. We have heard about the car that failed in one test lane but passed in another in the same testing centre and the tale of the motorist who did everything bar seeking divine intervention, but still failed. The net effect of the high failure rate has been to cause many people to lose faith in the system while the worst result is the enormous financial burden placed on the motorist, a car test fee of just under €50 and a pre-test fee of €27. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Many people purchase a package from their local garage known as a pre-NCT check. This service can cost approximately €100 and is offered by a number of garages around the country. Mechanics check the same areas tested by the NCT testers to identify problems which could be used by testers to fail the motorist. The service is expensive, but if the garage mechanic spots problems, the motorist may end up paying more to have the faults repaired. Last week my Fine Gael colleague, Deputy Olivia Mitchell, received a complaint from a motorist who paid €100 for a pre-NCT test, €400 to have the problem discovered fixed and then failed the NCT test. The motorist then paid a further €100 to have the problem fixed and took another NCT test and failed again. He is now over €600 out of pocket and no further on.

The Fine Gael motion attempts to find a solution to some of these problems. It identifies and addresses a central difficulty, namely, the uneven distribution of testing centres nationally. This problem concerns the Dublin area in particular and also my area, County Mayo, a vast county where some people must travel 50 or 60 miles to a test centre. Dublin, despite having one third of the number of cars registered in the country, only has three test centres. The problem must be addressed in order to give Dublin residents greater access to and availability of test centres.

This motion proposes a radical change in the current structure of the car testing service. Fine Gael calls for a move away from the current system whereby the contract for the car testing service is awarded to one private operator who centralises the service in a number of privately operated test centres to a system that mirrors the UK model. In the United Kingdom garages receive, following on from a set of terms and conditions, licences to run, operate and provide national car testing services. Opting for this style of car testing would provide motorists with greater choice, flexibility and availability. Although the Department of Transport awards the contract, the current system is, by and large, far removed from the Department as all auditing of the operation and functioning of the contract are carried out externally and removed from the Department and its officials. This is not the route to take. It is time for a change.

In the United Kingdom over 18,000 garages offer the car testing service. They are monitored and instructed by the vehicle inspectorate. Arguably, this might not have been possible in Ireland before now. However, forthcoming legislative changes provide the Government with the ability to take more direct control over the functioning of the car testing service. The Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004, currently on Second Stage in the Dáil, proposes to establish a new agency to regulate the driving test system, driving instructors and vehicle registration. The latter aspect is important as it allows the Department of Transport to reclaim supervision of the car testing service through the new authority. With the new authority supervising the national car testing service, there is no reason we could not make the move to allowing licensed garages to provide such services.

The Department of Transport has promised a mid-term review of the NCT service which will take place in 2005. We welcome that review. The Minister has indicated that this process will include a public consultation phase. I hope this will not just involve an advertisement being placed in local newspapers, but that a proper consultative process will be put in place around the country. Valid reasons for change should be taken on board and current difficulties faced by people should be considered in the process. I welcome the process which is to be in place in January.

I do not have time to outline some issues, but I will use the time I have for summing up later to further the cause of this motion. I hope the Minister takes this motion on board. I see no reason for an amendment to it and hope we can agree on this tonight.