Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for Transport when he intends to introduce the compulsory wearing of seatbelts for all users of public transport; when this will happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23315/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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EU Directive 2003/20, which requires that seatbelts must be used where they are fitted, must be transposed into national law by 9 May 2006. Last month's approval by the European Parliament of proposals to extend the requirement for safety belts to be fitted to all seats in all new vehicles, except for buses used on stage stop routes, opens the way for the proposals to be adopted as directives by the Council of Ministers. Assuming the proposals are adopted as directives this year, new buses, including school buses, being registered from a date in 2007 will require to be fitted with safety belts.

The outcome of the current investigations being held into the recent school bus tragedy will be carefully examined by myself and my colleague the Minster for Education and Science, as regards safety issues affecting school buses in particular.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the issues raised in a letter from a person (details supplied); if he will indicate the reason NCT certificates do not last two years from the date of the last test rather than a specified date relating to the car's age regardless of when tests were carried out; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current rules can lead to two tests for vehicles within a very short space of time and is seen as over-bureaucratic; if he or his Department have raised this issue at EU level and the outcome of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23317/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with Directive 96/96/EC, a passenger car becomes liable for the national car test when it is four years old, that is on its fourth anniversary of first registration, and is liable for a further test every two years thereafter. In accordance with that schedule, where a car is tested other than at the specified time, the test certificate is valid from the date of the actual test until the next date on which the test is due.

However, in the case of a car presented for test on a day that is less than three months before the next test due, the test certificate will be valid until the second next test due date, that is, for a period up to the next test due date together with the full two years until the following test due date. I have no plans to ask the European Commission to consider the development of proposals to amend Directive 96/96/EC in respect of the timing of vehicle tests.