Derek McDowell (Labour)

This provision is an interesting and important innovation. Section 19(a)(b) is broadly phrased in that it allows a vehicle to be impounded if, in the opinion of a garda, it is being used without a roadworthiness certificate having been issued in the country where it was registered. I take it from that there is no obligation on foreign drivers or drivers of foreign registered cars to display the equivalent of an NCT certificate. This section appears to allow a garda to form an opinion that, for example, a car that is registered in Poland appears to be a wreck and that he or she will impound it without any evidential requirement beyond that. Perhaps that is a good and necessary measure, but I wonder why the paragraph is phrased in that fashion.