Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review the approach by the contractor approved to carry out NCT tests whereby the applicants are required to re-present for a test less than twelve months after passing their most recent NCT, as a consequence of the delays in securing appointments when due for their original test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56691/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Under European Directive 2014/45/EU on periodic roadworthiness testing, Ireland, as for all Member States, must comply with the specified intervals for carrying out such inspections. This is given effect in Irish law by the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (SI 415/2017), as amended.

Regulation 3(2) of the 2017 Regulations provides that a vehicle's initial test due date is determined by its registration date and subsequent test due dates automatically fall on anniversaries of the registration date. A certificate issued for that vehicle is valid up to the test due date after the certificate is issued, not for 24 months, or 12 months for vehicles over 10 years old, from the date of testing.

Permitting NCT certificates to be extended beyond the minimum test due dates would place the State in breach of our obligations under EU law and may affect road safety, should the vehicle in question be unsafe to drive. There are no current plans to amend this legislation.