Thurles Information

It has to be some kind of ‘Death Wish’ folks, but the Fianna Fail and Green Coalition intend to press ahead with plans to hit motorists with a further additional stealth tax.  As and from the 1st of June 2011, all cars over 10 years old will now be obliged to undergo an annual National Car Test (NCT).
Currently there exists a bi-annual NCT, for vehicles, four years and older, however this new requirement for cars over 10 years old is expected to lead to approximately 12,000 additional tests per year.

Originally when the NCT was first introduced car owners were deceived by promises that such inspections would lead to potentially lower insurance premiums and use less fuel. Facts are that insurance premiums and fuel costs have gone through the roof.

With effect from the 1st April 2010, an additional 7 items have already been added to the National Car Test which includes malfunctioning indicators for Airbags, Electronic Stability Control Systems and Electronic Braking Systems.

This new NCT is being introduced despite the fact that most roads in this county are in the worst condition that they have ever been in and also despite the fact that the 2010 road grant allocation just for North Tipperary, alone, is almost €5million less than in the previous 2009. The state of Irish roads presently creates a huge spin-off benefit for all sectors of the motor industry, which includes garages, importers, motor car part dealers, exhaust and tyre centres at the expence of the motorist, who, despite paying car tax have little recourse to compensation for damage caused by these poor road conditions.

Deputy Noel Coonan when contacted by www.thurles.info this morning stated:

“This Government is once again targeting the wrong people. The Government continues to impose additional stealth taxes on people who cannot afford it and the Transport Minister’s decision to hit motorists with an annual NCT test is the latest in a long line of such taxes.
It’s a clear example of how the Government is relentlessly attacking the wrong people. A lot of North Tipperary people drive cars that are more than 10 years old, but because of massive economic blunders made by this Government, these motorists can only dream of visiting a shiny car showroom. While people on the ground continue to suffer, this Government pumps billions into busted bankers, speculators and developers who have seen fit to gamble away the future of this country. There seems to be mountains of money for the golden circle at the expense of the individual. It’s now time for a change of Government because people are sick and tired of cutbacks and continuous injustices against them. If they insist upon an annual NCT , then at the very least let them half the fee for this test. People pay their road tax,  yet North Tipperary roads look like they have been blown up, such is their bad condition.”

Motor vehicles used only on islands not connected to the mainland by road and motor vehicles belonging to the Armed Forces, the Garda Síochana or the Fire Service are currently not subject to mandatory road worthiness testing. Vehicles registered before 1980 are also exempt from the test.

The car test fee is 50.00 Euro and a re-test, if faults are found, costs 28.00 Euro (both fees are inclusive of VAT and maybe subject to change). Re-tests, which do not require the use of test equipment, will be free. Free re-tests cover minor items, for example, a visual inspection to check that faulty windscreen wipers have been replaced.

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