Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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175. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to address the anomaly whereby a person could be refused a driving licence test in their car by the Road Safety Authority for not having a valid NCT disc on the day of their test given their NCT could be valid by virtue of the four month extension. [52074/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Any vehicle that is to be used during the course of a driving test must hold a valid National Car Test (NCT) certificate. As the Deputy has noted, the Road Traffic (National Car Test) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 provided for a four-month extension to test due dates for certain vehicles as a result of the suspension of the NCT Service on 28 March 2020.

This extension automatically applies to:

- vehicles with an NCT certificate in force on 28 March 2020; and

- vehicles with a first test due falling during the period beginning on 28 March 2020 and ending on 31 July 2020.

Where a vehicle was eligible for a four-month extension, and where the driving test date fell within the period of that four-month extension, then the vehicle would meet the criteria required for being used in a driving test. However, the onus would on the person undertaking the driving test to provide evidence that the extension applies in respect of their vehicle.

The operation of vehicle driver testing is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, and I have no role in individual cases.

I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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176. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of a driver test for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52087/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation of the Driving Test. The scheduling of driving tests is an operational matter for the RSA, and I do not have any role in this process.

This question is therefore being referred to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting a long time for their driving test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52147/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation of the Driving Test and Driving Licensing services. Individual cases are a matter for the Authority.

This question is therefore being referred to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.