Delays to the National Car Test are "unacceptable" says local Senator Robbie Gallagher.
He says motorists are facing average wait times of 30 days despite an agreement between the RSA and service provider Applus to reduce the average wait time of 12 days.
The Monagahan Senator says the average wait time is 30 days and when people log on to the website, they could see an appointment many months down the line, he says this is because of another issue with the website which Applus needs to address.
More than 4,000 people have received free tests so far, however, those NCT certificates are backdated to when they initially registered for a test.
Senator Robbie Gallagher says the solution is to improve the capacity so that there is a shorter waiting time for motorists.
He added that the company needs to pay serious penalties for this dysfunction and the non-performance of their contract.
The testing backlog stood at 414,000 on May 11. This is a drop since March when there were 425,004 vehicles overdue for an NCT, the highest level in recent years. So far, 3,554 customers have received free tests this year. The test is usually €55 but drivers do not have to pay if they are left without an appointment within 28 days of seeking one, subject to a number of conditions," said Senator Gallagher.
"The National Car Testing Service says that testing capacity has increased significantly in recent months with ongoing recruitment of vehicle inspectors, and delays are now decreasing. Apparently there are 27,000 people on a priority waiting list, a reduction from around 60,000 in mid-February. Applus, which holds the NCT contract, said it is now over the busiest part of the year. They say that the number of vehicles overdue a test has peaked and waiting times are starting to decline.
