Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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304. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is a regulator or oversight body in respect of the National Car Test service operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39157/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority has statutory responsibility for the operation and delivery of the National Car Testing (NCT) Service.

Delivery of the service is currently contracted out to a third-party supplier, with the contract managed and overseen by the RSA's customer operations directorate. The service is subject to a regime of internal and external audits by the RSA Training & Standards Team, which is assisted by the Supervision Services Contractor and the Technical Inspection Services Provider to monitor the service provider’s adherence to key performance indicators and service level agreements. These external audit and assurance contractors are independent from the service delivery contractor.

The Deputy may wish to note that Ireland is obliged to adhere to the minimum specified technical standards and intervals for carrying out periodic roadworthiness inspections on motor vehicles under EU law and the NCT is operated in line with the requirements of EU Directive 2014/45/EU. These requirements have been transposed into Irish law by the Road Traffic (National Car Test) Regulations 2017 (SI 415 of 2017) and the Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness (Vehicle Testing) (No. 2) Regulations 2013 (SI 347 of 2013).