Longford Farming: Uproar at ICSA National executive over tractor NCT proposals

ICSA president Dermot Kelleher has said logic must continue to prevail when it comes to any decisions around NCT style testing on tractors. “This issue was settled in 2018 when after extensive stakeholder engagement it was agreed that only tractors with a maximum design speed exceeding 40km/hr which are being used for non-agricultural activities would require roadworthiness testing. This was the right decision then, it is still the right decision now, and we can see no justification for that agreement to be cast aside,” he said.

Mr Kelleher was speaking following a meeting of the association’s National Executive in Portlaoise last night (25 October) where mooted proposals from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) regarding the NCT style testing of all tractors caused uproar in the room.

“Members of our National Executive agree that tractors with a maximum speed in excess of 40km/hr need to be tested regularly. However, there was unanimous opposition to imposing an NCT style test on slow moving tractors. We are clear in our position that NCTs should not apply to tractors used for the purposes of farming or agricultural contracting.”

Mr Kelleher said he has seen no grounds for saddling farmers with the additional bureaucracy and cost that would inevitably be associated with blanket testing of all tractors.