A driving licence or Public Services Card is now the only acceptable proof of ID and passports are no longer accepted. It's surprising the number who don't bring any ID or even the Car Registration document and they all get turned away without the NCT being carried out.

The test result sheet could now potentially state "Minor", "Major" or if you're really in trouble the word "Dangerous".

• MINOR - technically a PASS subject to you rectifying the reasonably simple 'visual inspection' faults like a registration plate light bulb.
• MAJOR - a FAIL requiring the use of the lane to re inspect things like brakes or head light alignment etc
• DANGEROUS - essentially get a tow truck and either head to the scrap yard or to a mechanic for some serious repair work.

Bear in mind that excessively worn tyres can constitute a 'Dangerous' Fail and can lead to penalty points if driven away from the NCT Centre.

I really don't give my car much attention. It's not new, it's not pristine and it's treated as a vital tool.

There are a few maintenance things I do like the annual change of the fluids, filters and spark plugs and I occasionally check the more obvious things like worn tyres, windscreen chips and the occasional light bulb or wiper blades replacement.

Having been to the Kells NCT test centre dozens of times with different cars I view the NCT as a vital health check on my car's level of safety.

I've never understood the point of a Pre NCT inspection. It can cost as much as the NCT and might not find everything that needs fixing. Personally I don't really notice the brakes fading as they wear out and I've never looked for rust or brake line corrosion underneath the car. Therefore I rely on an honest answer from the NCT inspection. Anything needing fixing then goes to the garages for quotes if I can't DIY.

At more than 10 year old I do expect my car to pass but there's usually something a miss.

It's not my car I'm worried about....

It's Everyone Else's !

Having spent enough time in the waiting room you can't fail to overhear the reasons other owners receive for NCT Fails.

A few drivers arrive without photo ID or the Car Log Book and it is embarrassing to watch them fail at the 1st hurdle and rebook.

I expect a light bulb to fail on the way to the test so keep spares in your car since they'll blow eventually and it'll save you having to buy the expensive ones from the petrol station at the last minute.

There really is no excuse for having bald tyres, missing features like wipers, headlights that point everywhere except the road are all things that shouldn't make it to the NCT inspection in the first place.

Emission tests, brake performance and generally everything hidden under the car should be the point of the test.

Unfortunately statistics state that only 48% pass the 1st inspection and it's largely down to Minor Faults

Why aren't Insurance, Licence, Road Tax and NCT all linked to the car's registration plate?

In the UK you can't travel far without passing a traffic camera which reads your reg plate. If the car or driver shouldn't be on the road for any reason then you'll expect a fine and penalty points in the post.

I dislike displaying discs in the car window partly because it displays private information but mainly because in gets in the field of vision. Again, the UK has managed to do away with the need to print and display any of these.

When will Ireland catch up and do the same?