NCT backlog putting drivers at risk

ABSENCE OF A SECOND NCT centre is putting drivers at risk, county councillors have claimed.

A site had been identified in Smithstown Industrial Estate for a second NCT centre in the county, work had commenced in the summer of 2021 but last May the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) said “significant contractual difficulties” meant the Shannon centre would not proceed.

In October, the Road Safety Authority’s Chief Operations Officer Brendan Walsh said work was underway to have an NCT centre in Shannon but refused to outline where but that potential sites were identified.

Walsh commented over five months ago, “It is the intention of NCTS, if terms can be agreed as a result of the costing analysis, that an application for planning permission would be submitted without delay. The NCTS apologises that it is unable to give a definitive operational date for the development of the centre and is very much aware of the urgency in providing an additional centre to cater for the vehicle population in the Clare area”.

Cllr John Crowe (FG) in a proposal before Clare County Council asked that a second NCT centre be provided in South-East Clare “to help alleviate the backlog which is affecting motorists in the county”.

Sixmilebridge native Crowe outlined, “The NCT centres when they were set up, they were done to make sure all cars using the roads are road-worthy. In Clare if you apply today it is September before you will be seen and August in Galway, it is six months. It’s not good enough that these test centres have to wait six months”. He added, “it is an absolute disgrace to have to wait six months for a test and that is why I’m calling for a second test centre to be set up”.

Staff at the NCT centres are “working very long hours and something needs to be done,” Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) stated. He cautioned that drivers could be “liable for a fine and penalty points due to the backlog that is there. Something needs to be done so that when people apply they will get their test within weeks. I think a second centre is vital”.

Too many people are waiting months for to get their car tested, Cllr Ann Norton (IND) argued. “This was another tax put onto the citizens of Ireland, the fact we’re paying for the service, we should be able to avail of it in a timely manner”. She felt there should be communication between NCTS and An Garda Síochána, “if you don’t have NCT done people should not be getting fines or brought to Court when they are waiting on their appointment”.

Reference to the commitments to examine sites in Shannon was made by Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND). “The problem is very simple, if your car has an accident and you don’t have NCT who is responsible? The concept of bringing in NCT centres was to have a more efficient roll out,” Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) stated.