They have faced backlash after making the announcement.
The NCT is facing criticism for saying goodbye to cash.
Over the coming months, cash payments will be phased out and replaced with card and postal order payments only.
The NCT operator says it's for the "safety and convenience" of its customers, who are already facing extensive wait times for a test.
Midlands NCT centres in Tullamore, Portlaoise, Athlone and Mullingar have no available slots until early 2024.
However, it has face widespread backlash online, amid fears Ireland will soon become a cashless society.
John Lowe from money doctors.ie says most people already pay for their NCT by card:
But Aontú leader and Meath West Deputy Peadar Tóibín says cash is the only 'inclusive' method of payment, and is especially important for crucial services like the NCT.
Laois Offaly TD Carol Nolan was speaking with particular concern for the older population who may prefer to retain a cash payment option:
“It just makes no sense for the NCT to adopt this approach when we spent almost the entirety of 2022 and well into 2023 trying to ensure that everything possible was done to reduce the backlog in and reinstate an average waiting period of 12 days. They should be making it easier on people to book their tests not harder. People value the cash option but more importantly they value the sense of not being railroaded into a ‘cashless’ society simply for the convenience of operators who provide a mandatory public service. The NCT and the RSA urgently need to rethink this one and stop making people’s lives more difficult than they already are.”
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