Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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254. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason that persons, who had NCT tests due before 28 March 2020, were not given a four-month extension on their NCT validity despite the fact that they could not secure tests in NCT centres for a number of months thus resulting in some drivers having only seven to eight months NCT certificate validity after testing; the reason the four-month extension was not granted across the board in view of the exceptional circumstances at the time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13304/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I would clarify for the Deputy that the applicable dates for periodic roadworthiness testing are provided for by national legislation. Under Regulation 3(2) of the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 415/2017), the initial test due date for a vehicle is determined using the date of registration of that vehicle and subsequent test due dates fall on anniversaries of that date. Accordingly, all test due dates are predetermined based on the date of registration of a vehicle. Any NCT certificate issued in respect of a vehicle is only valid up to the test due date that falls after that certificate was issued and does not constitute a 12 month warranty for their condition.

As the Deputy notes, the Road Traffic (National Car Test) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 amended the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 415 of 2017) to provide an exceptional 4 month extension to test due dates for vehicles with a NCT certificate expiry date on or after 28th March 2020, where the vehicle was not first registered after August 2016. The extension was directly linked to the suspension of NCT services in March 2020 due to Covid 19 and was granted to extend the validity of NCT certificates which would have expired at a time when it was not possible to renew such certificates.

The suspension permitted the NCT Service to put in place a comprehensive range of measures to ensure compliance with public health advice and health and safety guidelines which facilitated resumption of services from July 2020.