Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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683. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce testing for tractors; if it will be on an annual or biannual basis; if he will make clear if this is as a result of a European directive, and if so, when such testing will be introduced; the number of testing stations that would be needed to cover the entire country; if any such testing centres will be run on a franchise basis similar to the testing centres used to test trucks and vans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50512/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Agricultural vehicles are currently not subject to vehicle testing in Ireland.  However, under the terms of draft legislation proposed by the EU Commission, which is under discussion in Brussels at present, wheeled tractors capable of travelling at speeds in excess of 40 km/h may be subject to annual roadworthiness testing. Separately, legislative proposals are being developed by my Department which will permit certain agricultural vehicles to operate at higher weights, and which may result in such vehicles being subject to roadworthiness testing. The testing frequency will be decided in the light of the technical requirements recommended by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

As in all cases, responsibility for the practical arrangements of roadworthiness testing of vehicles is a matter for the RSA. In 2008, the RSA commenced a consultation and review of the regulation, classification and safety issues surrounding the use of agricultural and related works vehicles on public roads.  Their report, delivered in March 2009, contained a number of recommendations for dealing with the issue. Following Ministerial approval in principle of the recommendations, extensive consultations were held with the RSA, the IFA , the Professional Agricultural Contractors of Ireland (PACI) and the IRHA.

In the wake of these extensive consultations, a number of road safety related proposals were formulated  by the RSA and agreed by the Minister in November 2012. Depending on the number of axles, axle spacing, and type of coupling, agricultural vehicles will be able to draw up to 28 tonnes. In view of the increase in safety risk associated with the larger and heavier vehicles using the public road, tractors and trailers operating at the higher weights would be subject to roadworthiness testing. The proposed arrangements also regulate axle spacing, vehicle and trailer plating, lighting and visibility, braking and coupling, driving licences, on-road behaviour, accident reporting, roadworthiness testing and enforcement.

The draft Statutory Instrument to give legislative effect to the Minister’s road safety related decisions is being prepared by the RSA and will be submitted to the Department shortly.