THE Society of the Irish Motors Industry (SIMI) has called for the immediate introduction of testing for all cars being registered here for the first time.

This follows the discovery by the Automobile Association's inspection service of two "nightmare" imported cars. One of the vehicles comprised two separate crashed cars welded in the middle, while the other had "hardly an original panel left and had its chassis number removed".

Mr Cyril McHugh, chief executive of SIMI, said the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, should "face up to his responsibilities" and introduce compulsory testing.

"Garages in the UK now know that they can dump on to the Irish market cars that fail the MOT test in the UK. Ireland is the only country in the EU that allows imported cars to go on the road without basic safety tests being carried out.