Ordinary Irish motorists are being hammered once again by the National Car Test (NCT) system, with fresh 2025 figures exposing a broken regime that punishes hardworking families rather than protecting road safety.
Over 1.7 million tests last year saw pass rates drop below 50% for the first time in years—meaning half of cars fail first time. Tyres top the failure list at over 14%, with a shocking 250,000 vehicles flagged for defects, up sharply from previous years. Suspension and steering issues follow, but the real scandal? A record 133,000 cars deemed “fail dangerous”—unroadworthy enough to endanger lives—yet the government and NCTS shrug while rural counties like Clare, Cavan, and Longford suffer the worst rates.
Fees jumped to €60 for a full test and €40 for re-tests from 2025, hitting pay packets harder amid cost-of-living squeezes. Booking? Still a lottery—despite promises, waits drag on, forcing people to drive without valid certs or face fines up to €2,000 and penalty points. Scam sites prey on desperate drivers promising fast slots for extra cash.
This isn’t about safety; it’s bureaucratic incompetence and profiteering. The coalition prioritises EU directives and contractor profits over fixing pothole-ravaged roads that wreck tyres and suspensions in the first place. Nurses commuting to shifts, tradesmen hauling tools, pensioners on fixed incomes—all squeezed while Leinster House looks the other way.
Enough. Demand real reform: cut fees, tackle root causes like poor infrastructure, end the monopoly, and put ordinary Irish drivers first—not endless tests and fines.
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