“CONTRACTUAL DIFFICULTIES” means the proposed NCT centre for Shannon will not proceed.
Shannon was due to become the home of the county’s second NCT centre but this will not come to life, the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) has confirmed.
A spokesperson for the NCTS said that the development has been halted “due to significant contractual difficulties”, and that “alternative locations in the area are being sourced”.
Construction work had already commenced last summer on the centre which was to be located in the Smithstown Industrial Estate. It was due to be operational by the end of last year.
Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan (GP) also confirmed the setback for Shannon in response to a parliamentary question from Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND).
Deputy McNamara stated, “This is very disappointing news as it would have inevitably contributed to reduced waiting times for tests at Clare’s only other operational centre in Ennis”.
He said he has requested the NCTS to intensify efforts to identify a new location for the centre in the Shannon area, and to consider other locations throughout Clare for the development of an NCT centre. “I would hope that a new site can be identified in Shannon for the proposed NCT centre as quickly as possible”.
“Should a new location not be found, I have requested that the NCTS review the potential for developing a centre in Kilrush to accommodate thousands of people in the west of the county who face much longer than average journey times to an NCT centre.”
He continued, “In the past the NCTS has confirmed to me that the patterns of demand for testing and the need for test facilities in Clare are kept under constant review. I would hope that other locations throughout the county, such as West Clare, will now be considered”.
