Motorists who thought they could delay their car tests, due to begin next month under the National Car Test regulations, have had their hopes dashed by the Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Robert Molloy.
However, as a concession to motorists, the test is to be eased into operation, with a two-tier fault system and a delay in prosecutions until April.
According to the Department, many motorists thought the test would begin when their current tax disc ran out. But regulations announced by the Minister mean that cars will be required to undergo the test when it is due, regardless of the date on the tax disc.
From next year cars registered before 1992 will have to display a disc to show that they have passed the test. Motorists will not be able to tax their cars without the disc and an accompanying certificate of roadworthiness. Those without a sticker could be fined up to £350, a Garda spokesman said.
However, the Minister did announce concessions in the scheme, with failure for some minor faults being phased in over a period of years. A certificate of compliance will only be refused where lights, brakes, steering, tyres or seat belts are in a dangerous condition or where emissions create a nuisance.
All other faults will be advisory, and it will be the owners' responsibility to rectify those.
In another concession, because of the probability of a backlog when the test is introduced, it has been decided not to begin prosecutions for failure to display the new stickers until April 2000.
The test will ultimately be carried out on all cars of four years and over. Once a car has passed a test it will receive a sticker and a certificate valid for two years, after which it must be tested again.
In 2001, all cars first registered between 1992 and 1996 will become liable for the test. All cars that are four years old or older will be required for testing in 2002, and cars first tested in 2000 will then become liable to their second test.
According to the Minister, pilot testing threw up some interesting results. Of the 1,400 cars already tested, many had multiple faults, and on average cars that failed had five faults. Lights, brakes and emissions were the highest group of faults.
