Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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587. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to set up a licensing system for car sellers to regulate the industry and put a stop to unregulated sellers who may be selling cars that are not roadworthy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29466/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The question of the licencing of car sellers, which is a commercial sales activity, comes within the remit of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

My Department is concerned that a number of fatalities have occurred as a result of motorists using inexpensive and sometimes unroadworthy vehicles. However, I understand that in a number of such instances, the drivers of this particular category of vehicle have tended to ignore road traffic legislation and frequently have no driver licence or compulsory insurance. In addition, many of these vehicles are not compliant with legal roadworthiness requirements and do not have current certificates of testing from the National Car Testing Service (NCT).

Under road traffic legislation, the NCT testing regime is designed to increase the safety of road going vehicles. Enforcement of this legislation is a matter for the Garda Síochána.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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588. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce a system whereby vehicle mechanics are required to register, in order to stop unqualified personnel operating vehicle repair services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29467/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​Action 99 of the Road Safety Strategy 2013 - 2020 provides for a review of the options available for ensuring that the quality of work carried out by vehicle maintenance and repair services is of a consistent minimum standard so that vehicle owners and the general public can be assured that the vehicles in use on our roads comply with the minimum legal and safety standards.

I understand that the Road Safety Authority, who have lead responsibility for this action within the Strategy, with the support of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the National Standards Authority of Ireland, which are the relevant authorities in relation to consumer protection and standards, are currently in the process of examining this issue.