A Westmeath vehicle testing firm and the owners of an Offaly bus hire company have gone on trial charged in connection with a fatal school bus crash in 2006. Michael White, 15, died when the bus went out of control and crashed near Clara in Co Offaly on 4 April. The jury was told the back axle came off the vehicle during the accident. The bus had been tested the previous year. The rear suspension…
Read MoreWith the number of motor vehicle registrations in Spain starting to pick up after drawn-out years of economic gloom, operators in the automotive industry estimate that this year’s sales may indeed pass the one million units mark. As the car industry as a whole is stepping hard on the gas pedal to reach this target, sight of key legal issues must not be lost. Identifying and managing these issues properly will allow the main operators…
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A VEHICLE testing firm has been found guilty of breaching health and safety laws in the testing of a school bus which was later involved in a fatal crash. The bus went out of control on a bog road just outside Clara, Co Offaly on April 4, 2006 after the rear drive axle came off. Schoolboy Michael White (15) died as a result of “catastrophic injuries” suffered during the crash. A bolt missing from the…
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How much can we convert/adapt while still retain standards coupled with compliance?
Read MoreEnforcement of the End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Regulations is primarily a matter for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local authorities. However, as part of the Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) Review, my Department published a report on the ELV system in November 2013. The report concluded that the Irish ELV system is not performing to the optimum level and outlined the need for comprehensive structural change. The key recommendations of the report included: The establishment of…
Read MoreIntertek has achieved an extension of its ISO 17025 accreditation to cover laboratory testing for volatile organic compounds to support automotive industry safety and innovation. A growing demand for safe, innovative and lightweight materials in the automotive industry brings growing interest for screening and measuring VOCs emitted from automotive plastic components, Intertek says. To be able to prove conformity to quality and safety standards, car manufacturers request accurate and robust testing conducted by an ISO…
Read MoreDISABLED drivers are going to lose their tax relief on petrol – but gain a new grant instead. Due to an EU ruling, the Government has to scrap the existing scheme which is used by 11,000 disabled drivers and costs €7m. The scheme gives relief from vehicle registration tax, VAT, motor tax and excise on cars adapted for disabled drivers and passengers. Finance Minister Michael Noonan will abolish the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers scheme…
Read MoreAn Taisce welcomes this consultation period on the Tyres & Waste Tyres as part of the review of the Producer Responsibility Initiative and the opportunity to make a submission with regard to same. 1.0 Introduction An Taisce appreciates that existing Producer Responsibility Initiatives have transformed waste management in Ireland, most notably in waste types such as farm plastics and electrical equipment. One of the key issues addressed in the Government’s most recent waste management policy…
Read MoreMinister Kelly said: “I had a very open dialogue today with the ITIA and I want to acknowledge the constructive way that they have supported the progress being made towards the new arrangements for managing waste tyres which is being discussed by the Tyres Working Group. It is very important that all sectors of the industry come together to support the development of a Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) for Tyres and Waste Tyres. I am…
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