181 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason for the raising of charges by NCT for passing out of taxis; if these charges are established by NCT or approved by his Department; the reason it is more expensive to check out a new rather than used car; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5260/02]

The Road Traffic (National Car Test) No. 3 Regulations, 2001, prescribes a fee of €88.80 payable to the NCT for an inspection of a vehicle for the purposes of a certificate of suitability for a small public service vehicle licence. On conversion to the euro, the original fee of £70 which had been set when the suitability testing function was assigned to NCT on 1 July 2001, was adjusted downwards by eight cents.