James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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168. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address questions (details supplied) in relation to the delay in NCT services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31368/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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As the operation of the National Car Testing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, I have referred that part of the Deputy's question relating to the publishing of performance metrics to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

With respect to the Deputy's question regarding test extensions, EU Member States are required to carry out periodic roadworthiness inspections on motor vehicles at specified regular intervals.

Under Regulation 3(2) of the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 415/2017), which sets out the applicable dates for periodic testing, 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 and 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.

Ireland, like all Member States, is obliged to adhere to the specified minimum intervals between roadworthiness inspections. Permitting the validity of roadworthiness certificates to be extended without inspection would place the State in breach of our obligations under European law and may negatively impact road safety should the vehicle in question be unsafe to drive.