Should we welcome compulsory testing?

Some media claim that the last time this was attempted, Minister Shane Ross was forced to annul an order he had already signed.  Not so. What actually happened was that the order was withdrawn following an intervention by PAC Ireland, pointing out that the legal advice his order was based on was flawed. Had that order gone through, it would have deemed agricultural contracting as fully a commercial enterprise, preventing contractors from using marked diesel and requiring them to install tachographs in all tractors.
The eventual legislation applied only to tractors used for commercial haulage that were over four years’ old, with a speed capability in excess of 40km/h. The legislation required that these vehicles had to be submitted for a roadworthiness inspection once every two years. This process is called commercial vehicle roadworthiness testing (CVRT). PAC Ireland’s intervention clearly showed the influence that a respected representative body can have by working closely with Government agencies and, in this case, Department of Transport officials. So, the question is, should agricultural contractors welcome this announcement by the RSA? In principle I would say ‘yes’; subject, of course, to examining the finer details. 
Firstly, let me remind those who may rush to reject an NCT out of hand, it is already a legal requirement under the Safety Health & Welfare at Work Act that all workplace machinery, vehicles and equipment be maintained in good order. If owners fail to do so, they can be subject to prosecution and severe penalties, especially if an employee is injured due to badly maintained machinery. This applies to all employers including agricultural contractors and farmers.
Will it be costly? The machinery of professional contractors is normally kept in excellent condition so preparation for the test should be minimal. The cost of testing is a tax allowable business expense, so the net cost is zero.
Will testing result in agricultural contractors getting more work? I think it will. It should make it less cost-effective for those dabbling in contracting to bring older machinery up to the NCT standard. PAC Ireland will ensure that the agricultural contractor’s voice is heard during the consultation period.

Long-term planning

You will have often read my criticisms of the EU and our own Government for their lack of long-term planning, particularly for the agricultural sector, and my views on the tendency of politicians and representative bodies to look for short-term solutions, always with an eye on the next election. Imagine my delight hearing the government across the water declare that short-term solutions were not working, stating that the system was broken, with the prime minister saying he was going to break that cycle and would be working on long-term plans with a scope of up to 30 years. Let’s hope our leaders and the EU Commission have the courage to follow suit.