Sinn Féin TD to raise wrongful NCT prosecutions in Dáil

Sinn Féin justice spokesman Jonathan O'Brien is to raise in the Dáil the wrongful prosecution of motorists without National Car Test (NCT) certificates despite them having paid fixed charge penalties.

“There are many questions and few answers surrounding all of this,’’ said Mr O’Brien on Monday.

“It remains to be seen if it has been caused by a legislative defect or whether it is an operational Garda issue.’’

Mr O'Brien tabled an adjournment motion question to Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald after An Garda Síochána confirmed an urgent review was under way of prosecutions taken against motorists who had already paid a fine for not having an up-to-date NCT certificate.

Review

A Garda spokesman would not say how many years were being reviewed or how many wrongful prosecutions were involved.

Ms Fitzgerald said it was very unfortunate this “procedural, administrative error’’ had occurred, but it would be rectified as soon as possible.

She said the review would examine the “scale and scope’’ of the prosecutions taken.

Ms Fitzgerald also said it was important to remember the people involved had broken the law in the first place.