Seanad debates

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

National Car Testing System: Statements

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Diarmuid WilsonDiarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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We will now deal with statements on the National Car Testing System, NCTS. I welcome the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Donohoe, to the House and invite him to make his contribution.

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Acting Chairman. In a break with tradition, I wish to first acknowledge the presence of Sarah Davis-Goff and Lisa Coen in the Public Gallery today, founders of Tramp Press, a new publishing company that has only been up and running for a short while. They have been publishing novels by new Irish writers. They are in the House this afternoon because I will be using some of their books when I am launching my St. Patrick's Day programme. I will be presenting their books as an example of new Irish writing and culture to people I will be meeting next week. I wish them the very best of luck in their endeavours. They got involved in publishing books by Irish writers at a time of difficulty and I wish them every success with their endeavours in the years to come.

I will now move from that literary note to the reason I am here. In December last, when dealing with the Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014, I undertook to come back to this House for a discussion on the National Car Testing Service, NCTS, its centres and their operation. As Senators will recall, we had just made a number of changes to road traffic law including the introduction of some new penalty point offences under the Road Traffic Act 2014. Those changes came into effect on 8 December last. Before focusing on those changes and their consequences, I would like to give the House an update on the position with regard to general matters of road safety.

I am sad to say that last year was the second consecutive year in which there was an increase in the number of fatalities on our roads. While we can all agree that the penalty points system has played an important role in making our roads safer, the number of people losing their lives on our roads is still too high. During the 1970s, road fatalities averaged 50 per month. The situation improved somewhat over the 1980s and 1990s but road deaths still stood at over 400 in 2001, the year prior to the introduction of penalty points. Last year, this tragic statistic stood at 197. I am very conscious of the fact that progress is a word that we must use very carefully, given the unacceptably high number of people who lose their lives on our roads. We are still in pursuit of the culture change that is necessary to eliminate death and serious injuries on our roads. For example, it is almost beyond comprehension that some people still see nothing wrong with driving without a seat belt. Among one of the most depressing statistics of last year was the fact that almost one fifth of the drivers and passengers killed on our roads were not wearing seat belts. Furthermore, while we have made substantial progress since the days of casual acceptance of drink driving, hundreds are still arrested every month on suspicion of drink driving. Clearly, the human capacity for self-deception and the tragic consequences that flow from continuing careless and reckless behaviour cannot be underestimated.

The NCTS has made a significant contribution to road safety in this country since its introduction 15 years ago. The days of having large numbers of unsafe vehicles using our roads are largely gone as cars are tested to the highest international standards. In recent weeks Senators will have received an update from the Road Safety Authority, RSA, on road safety matters in 2014 and an outline of some of the authority's priorities for the current year. I mentioned earlier that prior to the most recent changes to the penalty points regime last December, it was already an offence to use a vehicle on public roads without a valid NCT certificate. That offence has been in place since 2009 and involved a direct summons to court and the assignment of five penalty points on conviction. The change that I introduced in December simply brought this offence within the fixed-charge notice system and actually reduced the number of penalty points to three on payment of the €60 fixed charge. Of course, it remains the case that drivers continue to have the option of going to court where the five points will still apply on conviction. There was no change to the fact that it was, and remains, an offence but the change to the fixed-charge notice system should be welcomed by motorists. It is now possible to pay a fixed-charge fine and receive lower penalty points than are applicable on conviction in court.

Senators will be aware that the first quarter is traditionally the busiest time for the NCTS because the majority of cars are purchased in the first few months of any year. The vast majority of people take their responsibilities seriously and have their cars tested prior to the expiry of their current NCT certificate. However, many others have been late in doing so. Although well over 90% get their tests carried out eventually, the RSA estimates that over 200,000 cars out of a national fleet of around 1.9 million have an out-of-date NCT certificate at any time. The publicity around the introduction of fixed-charge notices for NCT certificates has undoubtedly had the benefit of improving the timeliness of testing and I understand from the RSA that it is seeing a substantial improvement in on-time compliance as a result. During the week commencing February 16, for example, 41% of the cars tested were tested early and 29% within 30 days of their test due date. However, 30% of the cars tested that week were late for their test. I am informed that we have never had such high levels of on-time compliance previously in the history of NCTS. Even as recently as early December, when the penalty points changes were introduced, 41% of cars were presented late for their test. Compared to this time last year, there has been a 100% improvement in compliance and this will undoubtedly contribute to improved safety on our roads.

It is good news for road safety that more cars are now having their roadworthiness test earlier. As evidence of this, in the last three months of 2014 approximately 56,000 more cars were tested than in the same period the previous year, an increase of 26%. This increase has been accommodated by NCTS. In January last, the NCTS recruited over 65 additional vehicle inspectors and it has increased its call centre staff by over 50% compared to last year. It is flexible in its deployment of staff who work longer hours during this busy period. To facilitate motorists, tests may be booked up to 90 days in advance of the test due date without affecting the expiry date of the certificate issued. The RSA has been encouraging customers to use this advance booking option. Over 90,000 people whose test was due in January 2015 heeded this advice, took advantage of this facility and got their cars tested during the final quarter of last year. However, the RSA concedes that there have been difficulties with the online booking system during periods of high demand. Last year, over one third of customers booked their NCT test online but this has now fallen to around 20%. The difficulty in finding suitable test slots online has created the mistaken impression that there are no test slots available.This, in turn, is what gave rise to confusion among the public that the system was bunged up and claims in the media of three-month waiting lists. That was never the case for the vast majority of owners.

As the RSA's recent letter to public representatives explains, the NCT online booking system does not provide a full picture of test availability. Anyone who cannot find a suitable appointment online is advised to request a test booking by making direct contact with the NCTS, either by phoning the call centre directly or by logging a request through the website. Such an individual will be put on the priority list for a test and can expect to be contacted within ten to 14 days with an appointment. In the vast majority of cases - well over 90% - that appointment will fall inside 28 days of the day the person first contacted the NCTS. The facility to request an appointment online, as an alternative to phoning the call centre, has already been added to the NCTS website and I expect further improvements in the coming weeks. It stands to reason that people who leave it until the last minute to book a test cannot expect to be instantly accommodated.

The NCTS is currently introducing a number of further measures to improve service to customers. These include the provision of new test lanes in four test centres and the extension of opening hours at a number of others, including Galway, Ballina, Enniscorthy and Killarney, from 7 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. four days per week. The majority of test centres have late openings on three days per week until 10 p.m. and 20 centres have extended opening on four days per week. As stated earlier, the number of vehicle inspectors, at 580, is the highest ever in the history of NCT. Additional staff and facilities have also been put in place to deal with the level of demand relating to the call centre. This has ensured that, following a challenging few days at the beginning of the year, the normal high service levels that customers expect are being achieved again. A further innovation that was introduced yesterday is the provision, for four days each week, of the first 24-hour NCT service in test centres in Dublin and Cork. In Dublin, this service will be shared between the test centres at Northpoint and Deansgrange. In Cork, it will be provided at the centre in Little Island. This new facility will also be available for anyone requiring an urgent appointment. NCTS already offers a seven-days-per-week service, and in many cases for 17 hours each day, at the vast majority of test centres. I very much welcome these initiatives.

Our public services need to be responsive and as flexible as possible and facilitate people outside of the normal nine-to-five model. However, all customers seeking tests, including those who have left it late and require an early test, will be accommodated in the coming weeks. Anyone who has a test date further out and who needs an earlier test should contact NCTS again and ask for a suitable appointment. The advice from the RSA and the NCTS to customers remains the same - one should book early for the test and keep one's car roadworthy at all times. If someone needs an earlier test, he or she should contact the NCTS directly again and ask for a suitable appointment.

Before concluding, I wish to briefly mention the forthcoming new road traffic Bill. The principal focus of this legislation will be on the testing of drivers for intoxication due to the use of drugs. In line with the Government's policy on pre-legislative scrutiny, I forwarded the general scheme of the Bill to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications last week. I look forward to the outcome of the committee's consideration of these important proposals.

Safety on our roads is not just my responsibility or that of the Government. Everybody - drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians - all have a responsibility in this regard. Changing the culture of careless or reckless behaviour remains the biggest challenge in eliminating deaths and serious injuries on our roads. I thank the Seanad for giving me the opportunity to address it today and honour the commitment I made. I look forward to the contributions and questions of Senators.

Photo of Diarmuid WilsonDiarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I take this opportunity to also welcome the Minister's officials and I call Senator O'Sullivan.

Photo of Ned O'SullivanNed O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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It is nice to welcome the Minister back to the House. We all support his efforts to improve road safety in every way possible.

As someone who drives approximately 1,000 km per week, speed is the single biggest factor in road accidents. Thankfully, I have never been involved in a serious accident and I do not have penalty points. In addition, I am able to drive from Dublin to Kerry in a reasonable time and without breaking the speed limit. I am no slouch but I become infuriated when I am overtaken by cars that are obviously being driven at in excess of 150 km/h, sometimes on motorways and on other occasions on roads that are just not suitable for accommodating vehicles travelling at that type of speed. This is my personal view and it is obvious that drink, drugs, etc., are also factors. However, I remain convinced that speed is the single biggest factor in road accidents. We must invest more in combating motorists who drive at speed. There are occasions when I would love to have some form of device in my car to allow me to record other vehicles as they speed past. Even though we Irish have a difficulty when it comes to informers, I would have no hesitation in reporting cars and other vehicles being driven at excessive speed if I got the opportunity to do so and if action could be taken on the spot. Given the age in which we live and in view of developments in electronics, perhaps the day will come when I will be in a position to do so.

I received a large amount of unsolicited correspondence on the national car test. One individual informed me via letter that significant delays at NCT testing centres had placed him and, he is sure, many others at a disadvantage. He also referred to the fact that as a result of changes to the road traffic legislation, it is no longer acceptable to show proof of a booking for an NCT when stopped by the Garda and that driving with an out of date disc means automatic penalty points. The man in question indicated that he tried to book a test online at the beginning of February but that the earliest appointment he could obtain was for mid-May. His letter is typical of other communications, including e-mails, I have received. I am sure other Senators received similar correspondence. There is a need for us to focus on the problem that exist.

We accept that the Minister has strengthened the position and tidied matters up in a number of areas and we look forward to the introduction of the new road traffic Bill, which will facilitate the bringing forward of further safety precautions and procedures. However, the primary issue at present relates to the gap that exists. The Minister is going to have to increase the efforts being made to reduce the waiting times relating to the NCT. While waiting times at some centres are below the maximum 28 days, in several parts of the country motorists seem to be experiencing waiting times of three months and upwards. This is unacceptable, particularly in view of the fact that motorists are liable to a fixed penalty notice and three points if they are not in possession of an up-to-date NCT. The figures the Minister provided indicate that of the order of 200,000 people are driving around without valid NCT certificates.

The second, and perhaps more worrying, issue relating to the operation of the NCT system relates to the significant variations in the pass-fail rate for cars at different centres throughout the country. According to an investigation carried out by The Irish Timeslast month, the most recent figures show a variation of almost 30% in pass-fail rates across the 47 test centres nationally. One of the highest pass rates, 67%, was recorded in Cahirciveen, County Kerry, while one of the lowest, 39%, was recorded at Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim. This variation between centres is extremely worrying because no one could state that there is any great difference in the quality of the roads at the two locations-----

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael)
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They have better cars in Kerry.

Photo of Ned O'SullivanNed O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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-----the type of cars being tested are very much the same. This matter must be investigated because there has to be a reason for the level of variation. I ask the Minister to ensure that the position is examined.

The national car test is mandatory for cars which are more than three years old. The levies relating to the test has risen sharply in recent years, with a full test costing €55 and a retest €28. Obviously, this is quite lucrative for the Government. In 2013, tests were carried out on a record 1.17 million private cars.When the NCT was introduced in 2000, only 309,000 tests were undertaken. At that time the pass rate for drivers on their first attempt was only 4% compared with 70% in 2013. That is a good sign and an improvement which means people are realising that their vehicles must be fit for purpose. Most drivers get them well-serviced prior to going for their NCT. If the NCT system were not in place, it is likely that many of those drivers would not bother to get their cars serviced, rather they would wait for something to fall off their cars first.

The question of gardaí having some discretion in dealing with drivers who do not have a current NCT disc displayed on their cars needs to be teased out. As we all know, gardaí have enough troubles in dealing with discretionary activities in terms of the cancelling of penalty points and so on. It puts them in an unfair position to have to decide whether a chap should be prosecuted for not displaying a current NCT disc, even though he may have a letter indicating that his application is in a queue and that his car will not be tested for up to perhaps a month. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the owner and user of the vehicle to ensure that their vehicle is in compliance with the law. The Garda would need direction on this. As the Minister stated, the first quarter of the year is always the busiest time for car sales and everything related to cars and we hope that the numbers for testing will even out a little now. For instance, in the week commencing 24 November last year, a total of 25,000 tests were carried out and, of those, 9,000 were late or very late, meaning that their due test date was a date in the past. A further 1,450 related to tests that should have been carried out in 2013 and 13,200 of these were early compliant requests, that is, as has been encouraged by the Minister, to take advantage of the facility instituted in September.

Photo of Diarmuid WilsonDiarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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Thank you, Senator.

Photo of Ned O'SullivanNed O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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I will conclude as we are under a time constraint. A few years ago "Prime Time Investigates" revealed the incidence of fraud and the bribery in the NCT system. It was very limited and confined but none the less it was a very serious issue. I would like the Minister to indicate if that has been followed up. What level of oversight is taking place to make sure that nobody is taking backhanders to pass unfit vehicles as that would destroy the integrity of the entire system.

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael)
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Before I speak about the national car testing system, I would like to join the Minister in wishing Lisa Coen and Sarah Davis-Goff the best in their business venture. It is said the best gift for any person is a book and the fact that they are supporting Irish authors is a great bonus for Irish authors. I wish them every success.

As the Minister outlined, the reason we need an NCT system is to ensure that vehicles are in sound, wording order. As he stated, the NCT system commenced in 2000 when cars over eight years old had to be tested. In 2002, any vehicle over four years old had to be tested every two years. Now cars over ten years old have to be tested annually. As the Minister said, we have 47 centres nationwide with four new centres due to open. He announced that two centres in Dublin and one centre in Cork are offering a 24-hour service, four days a week. It is amazing to think we have garages, supermarkets and now an NCT centre offering a 24-hour service. Therefore, there is no excuse for any person to say that they could not get an NCT test carried out on time.

The NCT test is an essential part of the overall road safety strategy and it has helped to improve the safety standard of vehicles on our roads. As the Minister said, last year was a bad one in regard to the number of deaths on our roads. Some 190 people were killed on our roads, which is an increase of 28 compared with the 162 people who lost their lives on our roads the previous year. If we look back to the 1980s when approximately 500 people died annually on our roads and to the 1990s when 400 people died annually on our roads, we can see that the safety measures that have been put in place have most certainly helped to reduce the number of fatalities.

The NCT is one of a number of safety measures which has been brought in over the years, together with the Road Safety Authority, the changes in legislation and the awareness campaigns through advertisements that highlight the dangers of speed, drink driving and, more recently, driving while on a mobile phone or being under the influence of a controlled substance. The combination of all these safety measures has been a major factor in reducing the number of fatalities and making our roads a safer place for all.

Out of more than 1 million vehicles tested last year, 52% failed the NCT, which is approximately 650,000. We all know that cars can fail for various reasons, from a minor fault such as a broken registration plate bulb to more serious reasons. More than 2,000 cars failed the NCT due to problems with their tyres, suspension, faulty brakes or brake lines, or faults that fall into the more serious category. These are cars that are on our roads that could cause a serious accident and contribute to accidents causing serious injury or fatalities.

More than 2,300 vehicles were deemed dangerous at the test centres. This means they should not be on our roads. It is an offence to drive such a vehicle and the penalties, if this is discovered, include fines of up to €2,500, the awarding of penalty points and up to three months in jail. However, if a test deems a vehicle to be dangerous, the Garda must be informed and it should make sure that the vehicle is not allowed on the road until the fault is rectified. Statistics show that the highest percentage of fatalities on our roads involve young males between the ages of 17 and 35 and eight out of ten fatalities are male. Young men when buying their fast car do not buy a new car. They buy older models, often over ten years old. It is important that these cars are tested annually.

Applus, the company running the NCT centres, is phasing out written notifications for testing vehicles. This is unsatisfactory. We receive notifications of our car tax, insurance and so on. The NCT notification is more important than any other as it determines the safety aspect of one's vehicle. I ask the Minister to intervene and request at a minimum that a text message would be sent to replace the notification as a reminder to all.

As the Minister stated, the new legislation we passed last year imposes five penalty points on a driver who has not had their vehicle tested. I welcome the fact that a fixed charge is now in place comprising three points and a €60 fine, but the implementation of this law is a problem as gardaí are often too busy with other duties. It is to be hoped that with the new recruitment drive in the Garda Síochána, checking to ensure motorists have a valid NCT will be fully policed because failure in this respect could literally be a matter of life and death. The concept of having all vehicles tested is necessary. If the Minister were to instruct the RSA to mount an advertising campaign about the need for an NCT and ask Applus to continue to notify drivers of their due test date, it would help to make our roads safer.

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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I call the Leader.

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that rather than finishing at 6 p.m. we would conclude the debate at 6.30 p.m., if not previously concluded.

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)
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It would be much better if we observed the orders of the House. I have an engagement to launch a book and I am up against time now because of the way that people farted around in here. I wish to make a few points and I will share my time with Senator Quinn.

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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That is agreed.

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent)
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My first point relates to taxis. I drive a 20 year old car and it is the most immaculate car in the car park both mechanically and every other way. I do not see any reason taxis must be changed when they are nine years old. Can the Minister explain that to me? It makes the whole car test a complete nonsense. If a taxi is tested and it turns out to be mechanically perfect and then it is also tested by the taxi people to see what the inside is like and that is perfect, why can it not stay on the road? It is an absolute imbecility. I ask the Minister to take this up as a matter of urgency.

The final point I would like to make is to ask somebody to have a word with Mr. Keegan, the Dublin city manager. He hates cars; it is a simple as that. To take one example, at Lincoln Place at the back gate to Trinity, there is a complete nonsense in terms of traffic there. It is deliberately calculated to clog up the traffic in a most dangerous way with spikes sticking up out of road. There is one little stretch of 10 yards to turn in; it inhibits the flow of traffic all the way. It is the same in O'Connell street where the footpaths have been squeezed out, there are two traffic lanes but one of them is for buses only and tour buses are parked all the way along the street. When the tour buses come out, the traffic is occluded.It is not appropriate for a city manager to have an anti-car policy in a capital city in Europe.

Photo of Feargal QuinnFeargal Quinn (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister to the House. We saw a lot of Deputy Donohoe when he was a Member of this House but we do not see quite as much of him nowadays because he is doing a lot of work elsewhere.

We need to put the National Car Testing Service in a wider context. Its main aim is to prevent accidents. Does the Minister have figures on how many accidents are caused by mechanical failure? Is there a figure for that? It is extremely important to get that information as a starting point. In some countries, it is estimated that only 1% of accidents are caused or partly caused by technical faults. In the state of California, for example, which is considered to have one of the top ten economies in the world, a car test does not involve technical checks but simply an emissions test. People drive rusty cars, duct-taped cars, cars with missing windows and so forth, but as long as the car is drivable, the police in California simply do not care because such vehicles rarely, if ever, contribute to accidents. In Ireland, on the other hand, cars are being failed for what some might consider very arbitrary reasons, such as side reflectors not being red enough. There has been much talk of EU regulations requiring a road test. However, a car test certificate in France is valid for two years, while it is only valid for one year here. That does not make sense.

One of the best ways to improve road safety would be to improve our roads, as Senator Norris has pointed out. In particular, we should focus on those badly designed roads which actually contribute to crashes. In the United Kingdom, research has shown that investment in safe road infrastructure projects could yield a reduction of up to a third in road deaths, saving as much as £6 million per year. That is the real issue in my view. I have spoken to engineers who are staggered by some road design in this country, saying that it would not be allowed in places such as Germany. Perhaps this is not the responsibility of the Minister, but the Government should commission a survey of badly designed roads and initiate improvement works on them.

I was delighted to hear the Minister express confidence in the changes that are taking place, because much concern has been expressed about the NCTS. Given that over half of cars tested must be retested, the NCTS should be more up front with people and tell them that the true cost of the test is more likely to be €83, with the retest fee included, as opposed to the €55 fee that is advertised. The lower fee is disingenuous; the €83 figure is the one that should be advertised to the public, because that is the fee that the majority of people will pay. That would be fairer to the consumer.

I am also concerned by the NCTS website, which states that one of the benefits of the NCTS is that it has offered employment to approximately 550 people. I am very worried by anything that is run on the premise of offering jobs. It seems like a very strange point to make in justifying its existence. On a related note, the RSA employs nearly 300 people, which seems to me to be a huge number. I know it is a quango but it is very difficult to criticise an organisation that hides behind slogans such as "Saving Lives". How does one criticise that? We could learn a lot from our European neighbours when it comes to the NCT. We could follow the example of France and make the test certificate valid for two years, or of Sweden, where the vehicle tester points out faults to the customer as a first step, which would improve transparency. It is very clear that there are many areas on which both the NCTS and the RSA can improve. I am interested to hear what steps will be taken in the near future by the Minister. A number of initiatives can be taken, and I know the Minister's heart is in the right place in this regard.

Photo of Denis LandyDenis Landy (Labour)
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I welcome the Minister to the House. I listened closely to his opening address and was pleased by a lot of what I heard. I raised this issue with the Minister in the House last year in the context of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act of 2014 and some of the changes proposed therein. I note that a lot of work has been done in terms of the general provision of facilities for car tests to be carried out. The Minister made reference to additional test centres, a 24-hour service and the provision of information on the NCTS website. However, I still have a number of concerns and perhaps the Minister will address them in his reply.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan made reference to the stopping of motorists who have an out-of-date NCT certificate and who have attempted but failed to get a test. The word "discretion" constantly comes up in replies to parliamentary questions on this issue and indeed, the Minister used it in his address to the House today. Does the Minister have evidence that members of An Garda Síochána have used discretion in such instances and have allowed people to go ahead and get a test and present the results at their local Garda station? That would be the normal procedure if one was stopped and one did not have up-to-date car insurance, for example. I am interested to know, three months on from the introduction of this provision, how it is working out in practice. It was brought to my attention last November that this provision would be introduced, but I have not heard anything negative from those who expressed concern to me at that time, which is a good indicator as to how the system is working out.

I note from information provided by the RSA that over 1 million cars are tested annually, with approximately 50% passing on the first round. The main failure areas include tyres, lamps, lights, brake lights and emissions. The Minister will be aware that many people opt to put their car forward for the NCT with a view to finding out what needs to be fixed before bringing it to a garage. That is done all the time. Many people I have spoken to have done that, because if one brings a car, particularly an older one, to a garage to get it ready for the NCT, the cost can be extremely high. People have discovered, perhaps from experience, that they can get through the test without spending as much money if they identify the faults first. People go to the NCT centre, accept the list of faults provided, get the necessary repairs carried out and submit the car for a retest, paying the retest fee. That seems to be the norm for a lot of people, except those who have relatively new cars in very good order. Does the Minister acknowledge that this happens and that it is a fact of life, albeit one we would prefer not to happen? Nobody is breaking any law by doing that. If the Minister accepts that this is happening, how can it be addressed? How can we assist those who are trying to be compliant on the first round and who are going to their local garage before the test? How can we make it more attractive to people to get their car ready for the first round? I would like the Minister to answer that question, because it is one that has been put to me by many members of the public. It is an area on which we can improve.

I acknowledge that the option to test one's car 90 days in advance of the expiry of a certificate is very good. I know people who live very organised lives and who will do everything in advance where possible. However, I also know lots of people who cannot remember to tax their car on time, never mind getting ready for the NCT, and who are up to the wire with everything. When the latter group of busy people look for a test slot on the website and cannot see one, if they then make a telephone call and go through the process which is clearly outlined, they will, according to the Minister and Road Safety Authority, be given a date before the deadline.According to the Minister and Road Safety Authority, they will be given an appointment before the deadline. I have heard anecdotally, however, that people who take this option are not given an appointment.

Senator O'Sullivan referred to waiting times of three months. When I raised this issue in November 2014, the next appointment available at a certain national car test centre was in March 2015. The waiting time, therefore, was four months. I accept that much work has been done to address the issue, with additional staff recruited and efforts made to provide a 24 hour service. I ask the Minister to respond to my questions because it is important to try to improve the NCT service by responding to the issues that arise in the real world.

Photo of Trevor Ó ClochartaighTrevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Aire. Tá aiféal orm nach raibh mé anseo nuair a bhí sé ag tabhairt a óráid, ach tá cóip de anseo agam. I apologise for my absence for the Minister's speech, during which I was at another meeting.

The national car test, NCT, was introduced in 2000. It is clear to all that the standard of vehicles on the road is much higher now than it was in 2000, the level of pollution from cars has decreased and the problems caused by these issues have been alleviated. The reasons are myriad and include improved industry standards generally, better consumer knowledge of the vehicles they choose, improved driving, the phasing out of leaded petrol and greater enforcement by the Garda. It is also clear that tests such as the national car test are of benefit to road users, pedestrians and the environment. That said, the way in which such a test is administered should be open to change and should not be written in stone. The NCT could be done much differently and I will make some obvious points that raise questions about how it is operated and the way in which it could be reformed.

In October 2014, it was reported that the NCT had delivered a clear profit of €5 million to its operator, an increase of more than 11% on the previous year. This report came amid other reports that record numbers of cars were failing the national car test and the high demand on the service was causing delays. Such delays increase the costs for car owners and further line the pockets of the multinational parent company. The NCT is not operated by a semi-State company or commercial body supported by the Government, such as the Irish Aviation Authority. It is a publicly tendered service, which was awarded to a company owned by a multinational company, Applus, which made a profit of approximately €1.6 billion in 2013. Applus has a track record of running these types of testing services and has expertise in the field. The NCT system is operated, by and large, by Irish management and the tests are carried out by workers who learned their skills in this country. It is not an incredibly difficult test to emulate and it is not necessary to outsource the project and have millions of euro sent out of the country.

The NCT service should not be about profit, shareholder dividends or bonuses for chief executives. When that is the case it creates potential problems such as those we have seen in Dublin and other cities where clamping is used by companies for profit. The NCT should be operated by a semi-State company with sufficient independence to enforce safety and without fear of political interference. The provision of the service should be at the core of everything the company does. It sticks in the craw of members of the public, who are asked to buy into the idea that the NCT is a necessary safety procedure, that they must regularly fork out such large sums to pass a test, the operator of which is sending substantial profits overseas. This also calls into question decisions made in national car tests and public confidence in the NCT system. There is a problem when profit is the motivating factor, as is the case with a company such as Applus.

A total of 52% or more than 650,000 of the vehicles which presented for the NCT did not pass the test last year. While some cars should fail the test and be deemed unroadworthy, citizens' confidence in the system is undermined when test failures deliver more profit for the private company operating the test system.

The variation in pass and fail rates in certain centres is also a matter of concern. In one centre, for example, the fail rate was 39%, while in another it was 67%. The Road Safety Authority noted a range of factors, such as the average age of vehicles tested at individual centres, their mileage, maintenance and the condition of local roads, which can lead to a variation in the figures. The gap between pass rates is so large, however, as to make these factors questionable excuses.

A full test costs €55 and a retest costs €28. These are significant sums for motorists who already pay more to have their vehicles on the road through higher fuel, motor tax and insurance costs. Figures show that approximately 200,000 vehicles on the road do not have NCT certificates, which is unacceptable. Enforcement is key to stopping this practice but, unfortunately, the effects of the Government's austerity policies have limited the ability of the Garda to deal with the issue. While driving without an NCT certificate is dangerous, it is inevitable when waiting lists for NCT centres are so long. One of the reasons for the long waiting time is the number of retests required as a result of the 52% failure rate. In some centres, the waiting list is as long as three months. This cannot be allowed to continue given that private transport is vital in allowing people to travel to work in large parts of the country. We speak a great deal about making Ireland attractive to investment and a good place to do business. A country which cannot test the roadworthiness of vehicles efficiently enough to allow people to use the vehicles they need for their daily activities arising from the lack of public transport is not attractive to anyone.

In recent days, I have raised the issue of car dependence and other transport related issues in the House. Transport in Galway is close to my heart and the Minister is aware of the city's transport problems from his recent visit to the city to launch a new bicycle scheme. I call on him to engage with the local authorities in Galway city and county on the plan proposed for what was previously known as the Galway bypass but which has developed into an inner city transport plan. The proposed routes are unacceptable to citizens. We need a proper study of the city's transport needs, one which examines bus services and the possibility of introducing a light rail system, taking into consideration factors such as the location of schools, car journey destinations, etc. It should also examine whether there is a case for the planned bypass.

Photo of Denis LandyDenis Landy (Labour)
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Is the proposal not known as the "racehorse"?

Photo of Trevor Ó ClochartaighTrevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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It is known by many names but "racehorse" is not one of them.

On a serious note, Galway requires an integrated approach to transport. The Minister could take the lead by getting all the relevant players around the table to review the issue. It is clear from the public debate and the views expressed by elected representatives that the proposal on the table will not work, will not solve the city's traffic problems and may cost the Government a fortune.

Senator Norris raised the issue of taxis. I have raised similar issues on a number of occasions. I know a number of taxi drivers in Galway who invested in higher end car brands such as BMW and Mercedes for reasons of comfort more than ten years ago. Their cars are still roadworthy and have passed the national car test. They are in much better condition than some newer cars on the roads. These drivers have a serious problem with the requirement that they decommission their taxis as it will put a number of them out of business. Drivers are also concerned about the enforcement of taxi regulations in Galway city where a number of taxi drivers are flagrantly abusing the rules. Enforcement in the city is not working. I ask the Minister to respond to the issues I raise.

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senators for their contributions. I will respond to the points in the order in which they were raised. A common theme in the contributions was delays in obtaining appointments at NCT centres to have appropriate checks carried out. Some Senators alleged these delays are ongoing. The NCT service has the capacity to carry out 150,000 more tests than it was able to carry out last year. Further changes will soon be made to the online booking system and NCT website to deliver more improvements to customers and ensure they can access the NCT service efficiently and in good time.

Senator O'Sullivan raised a number of issues, including recent concerns about fraud and the need to ensure public confidence in the NCT system. I assure the Senator that a robust anti-fraud management plan is in place and a number of measures have been introduced to ensure fraudulent activity is eliminated or minimised. For example, a confidential whistleblower hotline has been established for the NCT service and those with concerns about the operation of the service may also use a confidential e-mail service.In addition, there are a number of preventive measures and systems in place to detect fraud and to make sure the system is being run in the manner required. Both the Senator and a number of other Senators, including Senator O'Neill, spoke about accuracy and how the services are run. I assure the House that the RSA, alongside a variety of different bodies, has ongoing measures in place to check the assessment of test accuracy and to test the performance of individual vehicle testers. All test centres are visited frequently and over 2,000 vehicle tests are observed each year as part of an unannounced inspection regime. The reason those services are put in place is to deal with the risks Senator O'Sullivan outlined. Senator O'Neill touched on some of those points. He also made a point regarding what could be done to incentivise people to come in earlier. Is that correct?

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael)
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No, it relates to notification because they are not sending out notifications. They are phasing it out.

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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That was the point Senator Landy touched on. Those changes are being made to emphasise to people that it is fundamentally their responsibility to make sure their cars are roadworthy. They need to take responsibility for that and to contact the NCT centres at the right time to ensure their vehicle can be checked. That being said, the most recent figures we have show very clearly that, on average, customers are getting their test appointments within three weeks with the vast majority - over 90% - getting their test within four weeks. The point that still stands in respect of people getting their tests is that if it does not appear that a test is available from looking at the website, the key thing to do is to contact the NCT over the phone and request the test inside the times they need. My experience is that the vast majority of people who do that get appointments that meet their needs.

I differ from Senator Norris's view that Dublin and the city manager are not car-friendly. I believe the city council does an awful lot of work to try and respect the needs of different road users. Occasionally, it needs to make changes that cause people difficulties for short periods of time but the reason this is done is to deal with matters of road safety and to find measures to allow our vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians to get around the city in a safe and more efficient manner.

I note some of the points that Senator Quinn made and I will have a look at the transcript after this debate to see some of the examples he gave because I found some of the examples regarding how the Nordic region conducts tests interesting. It is certainly something I will pass on to the RSA to see if we can learn anything from how it is conducted elsewhere and to integrate it into our system. I genuinely believe that while there have been difficulties relating to changes that have been made and delays some people have faced at times, the services we have in place play a vital role in making sure that more and more vehicles are roadworthy and, therefore, contribute to our roads being safer.

A point the Senator touched on that was also touched on more explicitly by Senator O'Sullivan relates to some of the feelings people had regarding the period when I introduced this change to the law. A point that is worth emphasising is that at the time, we did not introduce new or heavier sanctions relating to it. What we did was change the nature of penalty points that could be incurred by somebody driving without an NCT certificate. It was always illegal not to have an NCT certificate. When I introduced the new road safety legislation, we changed it to enable somebody to get three points without going to court. One of the things that happened as a result of that change, which may have prompted the correspondence that the Senator and I and others received, is that the advertising campaign relating to that and the profile the change garnered made many people feel as if a new offence had been brought in. The offence had already been there. It is just that the consequences that somebody faced due to not having an NCT certificate changed.

This leads on to a point touched on by Senator Landy, namely, the nature of discretion in respect of this matter. We track through the PULSE system and information the Garda makes available to us the number of different road traffic offences that are committed, their nature, their location, how they occur and so on. I do not have information available to me regarding the number of times discretion was used by gardaí. As the Senator knows, this is very much a matter for An Garda Síochána and individual gardaí. I would never look to influence that or to interfere with it in any way. I believe from individual feedback we received across the period during which this new regime was being put in place that efforts were made to recognise difficulties that motorists would have had. Common sense was used so that if someone had an appointment approaching, this was recognised by gardaí when they were deciding what to do. I do not have individual statistics relating to that. My own experience is that gardaí did their best during this period in respect of the roll out of the different penalty point sanctions.

Senator Landy raised the issue of delays people faced on a number of occasions. This is precisely the reason the new changes I referred to have been introduced. I hope that the 24-hour centres that have been introduced will play a role in making it easier for car users to get in and out. I know that some people who own or use cars may be able to use the NCT centre at night, which may alleviate the pressure on what would otherwise be busy parts of the day. I will certainly look at the introduction of these changes to see what effect they have and to see whether they could be amplified during the year. The RSA will look at whether it will be possible to put in place measures to bring people who would have their NCT tests in the first half of next year into what would otherwise be a busy period so that the peak we are dealing with at the moment might not be as sharp as it has been in other years.

Senators Ó Clochartaigh and Norris made the point about the age limit requirement for taxis. I know taxi drivers have had difficulties with this change but I believe it is a policy that should be supported. I strongly believe it offers people who visit our country and regular taxi users a better quality of car in the long run. While I accept that it did cause difficulties during the introduction period, I strongly believe that in the long run, it will be in the best interests of the taxi industry and people who depend on taxis.

I take a very different view to that of Senator Ó Clochartaigh regarding the way in which the NCT centres are run. I am confident that the opportunity for profit that is there for people who win a tendering process in an honest and effective manner will in no way impede the operation and roll-out of tests across our country. I return to a point I made in response to Senator O'Sullivan, namely, the fact that there are tests in place. We need to make sure that these tests are carried out in a competent and honest manner, and there are robust checks in regard to this. That is a philosophical point of difference between us. I do not believe a profit motive will automatically encourage people to act in a way that might make them in breach of the contract they have won. I am absolutely certain that the RSA runs this in a robust manner.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh made the point that he wants to see an environment created in which investment will come into the country and more business will be created. He also alleged that the fact that the company that has won a contract is an international business might mean it would not operate the contract in the way we want. I put it to him that there is an absolute contradiction between those two points.

Photo of Trevor Ó ClochartaighTrevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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The Minister can read the Official Report. I do not think that is exactly what I said.

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I believe it is, but if I am corrected and have misquoted the Senator in any way I am sure he will correct me at a point in the future. One cannot say that we want to get more companies into the country and at the same time say that when a company wins a contract and operates in what we believe to be an efficient and fair manner, it might operate in such a way that would constitute a breach of a contract that it has won honestly and competently. That said, I know all Senators will agree that we want to get to a point at which the roads are even safer than they are, and I am certain that the NCTS plays a very valuable role in that regard.

The changes I have announced in the House, such as the operation of some 24-hour centres and the availability of an additional 150,000 tests across this part of the year compared to where we were a year ago, are important and will deal will the concerns people had. The RSA is doing a very strong and good job in managing an important part of our road safety agenda. I am always available to come in and answer any questions on that or any other points on road safety.

Photo of Trevor Ó ClochartaighTrevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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The Minister did not answer my question.

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Senator raised a point with me and I did not respond. I have responded to a number of his colleagues on this issue. I am closely monitoring what is happening and I am very much aware of people's concerns regarding the six different options available. There was an exchange on that. One in particular has an effect on the Galway racecourse, which is a very valuable amenity to the city, the county and beyond. It is my expectation that in the period of consultation that is currently under way, consensus or agreement can be found on that. It is a project which, as the Senator will know because he represents the county and city, has been going on for many years. I hope the period of consultation will lead to some agreement. As I said, it is a matter that I am monitoring.

Photo of Denis LandyDenis Landy (Labour)
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I asked the Minister about incentivising people to present their cars ready to pass the NCT first time, as opposed to having them tested and coming back again.

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I apologise for missing that point. I take a different view from that of the Senator. I understand why he would say it is something that should be considered. However, the reason I am not supportive of such a change is that a really important objective behind this testing procedure is to encourage people to do all they can to have their cars safe all the time. My concern is that if we introduce such a change, it might be detrimental to achieving that objective.