High NCT failure rates flagged across Cavan and Monaghan

High NCT failure rates in Cavan and Monaghan were flagged during a Dáil debate on the National Vehicle and Driver File, Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2026.

Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy said there were “sensible provisions in this Bill that Sinn Féin can support”, including improved access to collision data, modernising the national vehicle and driver file and reducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

However, he said legislation alone would not make roads safer, warning: “None of that will make a blind bit of difference if there are not enough gardaí in our communities and on our roads to enforce the laws.”

Turning to the NCT system, Deputy Carthy highlighted figures showing particularly high failure rates in his area.

“In 2025, the latest figures we have, approximately 58.4% of vehicles that were tested in Cavan failed their NCT, which was the second highest percentage in the State,” he said.

“In Monaghan, there was a failure rate of 57.8%, the fifth highest nationally.”

While acknowledging that “there might be some legitimate explanations, including maybe vehicle age and mileage”, he said motorists deserved greater clarity.

“The principle has to be that the same car should have the same prospect of passing its NCT whether it is tested in Monaghan, Cavan, Dublin or anywhere else,” Deputy Carthy said.

He asked the Minister for Transport to investigate the disparities and “compare like with like” by examining vehicles of similar age, make, model and mileage, as well as defects and outcomes at different centres.

Deputy Carthy also highlighted the impact of NCT failures on rural motorists, saying: “In my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, like many rural constituencies, a car is not a luxury. It is essential for work, school, healthcare and everyday life.”

He called for an NCT system “that people can trust”, alongside better roads, targeted speed enforcement and properly resourced roads policing.