Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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244. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding certification by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6960/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The responsibility for motor vehicles type approvals directives lies with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and its Agency, the Road Safety Authority. The NSAI operates as the approval authority for related directives, 2007/46/EC (Under the European Communities (Road Vehicles: Entry into Service) Regulations (S.I 157 of 2009) made by the then Minister for Transport, which requires that all member states have national approval schemes implemented from April 2009 through to October 2014.

The Automotive Approvals process relies heavily on technically competent assessors to process the applications. Applications for certification are processed on a first come, first served basis.

There are currently 96 applications within the approval process.

In response to the increasing workload NSAI tendered for an Alternative Service Delivery model in early 2014, to be delivered by competent outsourced technical assessors working directly with NSAI staff. The ensuing contract commenced in January 2015.

Due to the regulatory and technical nature of the assessment process, it is not possible to rapidly increase processing capacity as the sourcing and induction of engineers takes a period of approximately 6 months before they become competent in the approvals process.

The optimum lead in time to process an application to certification, based on full information being provided by the applicant is 10 days. Currently the process time is taking 16 days.

NSAI are projecting that the backlog will reduce over the next 4-6 weeks with the target lead times of 10 days being achieved by the end of Q2.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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245. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the delays with the issuing of certification of type approval by the National Standards Authority of Ireland for new commercial vehicles, in view of these delays are having a serious financial impact on struggling businesses; he will intervene to ensure that this situation is resolved immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6979/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The responsibility for motor vehicles type approvals directives lies with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and its Agency, the Road Safety Authority. The NSAI operates as the approval authority for related directives, 2007/46/EC (Under the European Communities (Road Vehicles: Entry into Service) Regulations (S.I 157 of 2009) made by the then Minister for Transport, which requires that all member states have national approval schemes implemented from April 2009 through to October 2014.

The Automotive Approvals process relies heavily on technically competent assessors to process the applications. Applications for certification are processed on a first come, first served basis.

There are currently 96 applications within the approval process.

In response to the increasing workload NSAI tendered for an Alternative Service Delivery model in early 2014, to be delivered by competent outsourced technical assessors working directly with NSAI staff. The ensuing contract commenced in January 2015.

Due to the regulatory and technical nature of the assessment process, it is not possible to rapidly increase processing capacity as the sourcing and induction of engineers takes a period of approximately 6 months before they become competent in the approvals process.

The optimum lead in time to process an application to certification, based on full information being provided by the applicant is 10 days. Currently the process time is taking 16 days.

NSAI are projecting that the backlog will reduce over the next 4-6 weeks with the target lead times of 10 days being achieved by the end of Q2.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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246. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the serious delay in issuing by the National Standards Authority of Ireland of individual vehicle approvals for chassis cabs that is leading to a situation where truck bodybuilding companies here will have to lay off staff and potentially close up shop because they cannot afford to have completed work sitting in yards waiting to be delivered to impatient customers; if he will confirm the length of the waiting time for approvals; the action he will take to address the situation, to prevent all the customers turning to imported complete vehicles with European type approval not the NSAI. [7031/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The responsibility for motor vehicles type approvals directives lies with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and its Agency, the Road Safety Authority. The NSAI operates as the approval authority for related directives, 2007/46/EC (Under the European Communities (Road Vehicles: Entry into Service) Regulations (S.I 157 of 2009) made by the then Minister for Transport, which requires that all member states have national approval schemes implemented from April 2009 through to October 2014.

The Automotive Approvals process relies heavily on technically competent assessors to process the applications. Applications for certification are processed on a first come, first served basis.

There are currently 96 applications within the approval process.

In response to the increasing workload NSAI tendered for an Alternative Service Delivery model in early 2014, to be delivered by competent outsourced technical assessors working directly with NSAI staff. The ensuing contract commenced in January 2015.

Due to the regulatory and technical nature of the assessment process, it is not possible to rapidly increase processing capacity as the sourcing and induction of engineers takes a period of approximately 6 months before they become competent in the approvals process.

The optimum lead in time to process an application to certification, based on full information being provided by the applicant is 10 days. Currently the process time is taking 16 days.

NSAI are projecting that the backlog will reduce over the next 4-6 weeks with the target lead times of 10 days being achieved by the end of Q2.