David Norris (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome the introduction of the national car test system which is very important I can see its merits increasingly as I have another little house in Cyprus, which has just joined the European Union. The condition of vehicles there is appalling. They never seem to service them because black diesel smoke pours out, even from fairly modern vehicles. One would need a gas mask to survive some of the older vehicles, particularly those used during the wine harvest. One can see the effect of widespread pollution on the island. It is more or less the way we were 15 or 20 years ago. I used to see the same old battered vehicles belching out smoke. It is financially painful to deal with this matter because people must ensure their vehicles are up to scratch but it is a good thing.

I take it there is no parallel to the national car test for commercial vehicles, specifically buses. I would be interested to know if there is because, if so, I do not know how any bus manages to pass it. It is about time such a test was introduced. Bus Éireann's vehicles are bad enough but the hackney buses that go around with tourists aboard, including tour buses and ghost bus, are old, cranked out CIE jobs that have been off-loaded by Dublin Bus. Many of them cause serious pollution. If we are serious about the impact of vehicles on the environment those buses should be taken in for testing, as should other commercial vehicles. Many commercial vehicles produce a great deal of dangerous and unpleasant emissions. I am not sure to what extent they are tested. If they are being tested, the system is most certainly not working. Any observant person going around the city of Dublin could testify to that fact.

Senator Dooley made a good, constructive speech but there was one point with which I did not agree. That was the idea that if people ask a garage to check their car before the NCT, it is a reflection on the garage if the car fails. That is not always the case, however. I have a very good fellow who looks after my car.