National Car Test Service: Press Release

5 February 2020

“Press Statement
4th February 2020

NCTS update Re: Vehicle Inspection Lifts

NCTS can confirm that underbody vehicle inspections will recommence in an additional eight centres around the country in the coming week. This follows the delivery and planned installation of new vehicle lifts.

The centres where these new Vehicle Inspection lifts are being introduced, which is based on maximising geographical spread and catering for large population centres, include:

 Cork (Little Island)
 Limerick
 Northpoint, Swords, Co. Dublin
 Fonthill, Dublin 22
 Galway
 Letterkenny
 Waterford
 Killarney

These eight centres are in addition to the six locations, Deansgrange (South Dublin), Ballinasloe, Athlone, Skibbereen, Ballina, and Enniscorthy, announced last Friday 31 January.

Lifts at these locations will be used primarily for those drivers who are due to undergo a Driving Test, NCT Taxi roadworthiness test, the trade (car dealerships) and those due for their NCT retest.

As previously stated, when we became aware of this issue a condition survey of all vehicle lifts in the NCT was commenced by the lift manufacturers. This condition survey should be completed towards the end of this week. When completed we will, in co-operation with the manufacturer, immediately begin a programme of repairing the remaining lifts within the network over the coming weeks. We will provide regular updates as test centres come back into operation.

The NCTS, in conjunction with the RSA, is continuing to look into other measures to minimise customer inconvenience and will provide further updates in the coming days.
The advice for customers is to continue to book and turn up for their NCT as normal. The test will be completed with the omission of the underbody inspection, however if the vehicle fails on another element of the test, they must present their vehicle for retest as normal.

All vehicle owners are reminded that the roadworthiness of their vehicle is their responsibility at all times. In addition, motorists are being advised to keep a copy of their Vehicle Inspection Report with them in order to present it to a member of An Garda Síochána, if required.

Once again, NCTS would like to apologise to all our customers for this inconvenience and we are endeavouring to restore normal service as soon as possible.

Further updates will be provided on the website www.ncts.ie over the coming days.”