Considerable safety concerns arising from cars that have been poorly or improperly maintained by technicians

 QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the considerable safety concerns arising from cars that have been poorly or improperly maintained by technicians without adequate training; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY



The Road Safety Authority, which comes under my Department's remit, has responsibility for the National Car Testing Service and Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test, both of which will detect vehicles that do not meet the required roadworthiness standards. 

However, the standards of vehicle maintenance, as with other service standards, is a consumer rights matter and falls within the responsibility of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which is under the aegis of the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, and do not come within the remit of my Department.  Neither does  the training of technicians who carry out such maintenance, or the adequacy thereof, which is a matter for Quality and Qualifications Ireland under the Minister for Education and Skills.