NCT tester 'refused to test car with dog hairs on seat'

The Dáil has been told that one NCT tester refuse to examine a car because there were dog hairs on the seats.

The claim was made by Dublin North West TD and Sinn Féin transport spokesman Dessie Ellis (pictured), who has called for the Government to look more closely at the NCT service.

He said some people believed their cars were failing the NCT "for revenue reasons", simply so that they could be charged for a re-test.

And he said the example of a woman with dog hairs on her seat is an example of why the system is too harsh.

"I don’t see why the charge should be so high…People are being penalised," he said.

"I a case I dealt with, the tester wouldn’t entertain the car because there were a few dog hairs in it. I think that's a bit much and it needs to be looked at."

The NCT fee for a full test is €55 and a re-test costs €28.

Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe said there was an independent appeals board available to people, which was provided by the AA on behalf of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and which was fully independent of his department and the RSA.

Minister Donohoe said NCT centres were also subject to unannounced inspections, which showed that "over 99% of tests are correctly assessed".