Public to give views on changes to NCT

Members of the public are to be given an opportunity to suggest changes to the National Car Test (NCT) at a series of roadshows in the regions next month. Six public consultation meetings will take place in Dublin, Sligo, Galway, Cork, Kilkenny and Longford at which people will be asked to give their views on the NCT and to suggest how the test could be improved.

The meetings are being organised by PricewaterhouseCoopers which has been commissioned by the Department of Transport to review the car test and levels of service at testing centres.

The review will evaluate a number of areas including the content of the test and the location of test centres.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport Ivor Callely said the meetings would give the public the opportunity to have an input into the car testing service.

"We are particularly interested in hearing how the organisation and delivery of the test impacts on consumers, communities and businesses and ideas on how that might change in the future," he said.

Many motorists whose cars had failed had brought them to a garage to be serviced only to be told the vehicle should have passed the test.

"I want to put an end to that kind of ambiguity," Mr Callely said. He added any changes would be in place at the beginning of next year.

The NCT was introduced five years ago when new EU legislation made car testing compulsory in member states. Testing is carried out at 43 centres across the country under a 10-year contract awarded by the Government to NCT Service (NCTS) Ltd. The current review comes at the half way point of the contract.

The system has come in for criticism from some motorists over the minor nature of certain faults which have caused cars to fail. The location of test centres has been criticised, mainly because just three of the 43 centres are in Dublin where demand is greatest.

AA Ireland said that while some aspects of the test could be improved the system was "a pretty good one" and considerably better than the British MOT test.

Conor Faughnan, AA Ireland's public affairs manager, said the department had written to his organisation seeking a submission from it as part of the review.

AA Ireland was due to meet officials from the department next week when a number of proposals would be outlined.

The first public meeting will take place at the Sligo Park Hotel on May 3rd. The other scheduled meetings are as follows: Corralea Court Hotel, The Square, Tuam, May 4th; Briery Gap Cultural Centre, Main Street, Macroom, May 5th; Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel, Ormonde Street, Kilkenny, May 10th; Longford Arms Hotel, Main Street, Longford, May 11th; Red Cow Moran Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin, May 12th.

Each meeting will begin at 6pm and end at 8.30pm. Those wishing to attend can reserve a place by calling 1800 24 2531. Alternatively people can post comments at www.nctreview.ie.