IFA Welcomes Formal Withdrawal of Tractor Testing Statutory Instrument
IFA President Joe Healy has welcomed the move today by Minister for Transport Shane Ross to formally revoke the Statutory Instrument on tractor testing.
The cancellation of the Statutory Instrument (SI) follows a commitment given to IFA by the Department of Transport earlier this month that there will be full negotiation with the IFA and other key stakeholders ahead of the implementation of any aspects of a roadworthiness test for tractors.
IFA met with the Department earlier this month and at that meeting, the Department fully accepted that an earlier commitment to consultation had not been honoured and assured the IFA delegation that full discussions would now take place on all aspects of the relevant Statutory Instrument.
IFA President Joe Healy said, “It is very positive to see this SI taken off the Statute books. The consultation process promised to IFA will now take place in full with all aspects on the table. We will now get down to negotiations with the Minister and the Department to ensure that normal farming activities are excluded from tractor testing. We expect all tractors used for farming and for bringing farm produce and raw materials to and from the point of sale will not be subject to testing.”