S.I. No. 355/1984:

ROAD TRAFFIC (INSURANCE DISC) REGULATIONS, 1984.

ROAD TRAFFIC (INSURANCE DISC) REGULATIONS, 1984.

The Minister for the Environment in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 5 and 11 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961), hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Insurance Disc) Regulations, 1984.

(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of July, 1986.

(3) In these Regulations--

"the Act" means the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961);

"agricultural tractor" has the meaning assigned to it under the Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act, 1952 (No. 24 of 1952);

"fleet owner" in relation to vehicles means a person who keeps ten or more vehicles;

"insurance disc" has the meaning specified in article 4 of these Regulations;

"motor-cycle" means a mechanically propelled bicycle;

"trade licence" means a licence issued under section 9 of the Roads Act, 1920 as amended by section 15 of the Finance Act, 1922;

"vehicle" means a mechanically propelled vehicle;

2. (1) Save as is otherwise provided by this article, these Regulations shall apply to all vehicles to which Part VI of the Act applies.

(2) These Regulations shall not apply to--

( a ) a motor-cycle or a motor-cycle and sidecar combination;

( b ) an agricultural tractor;

( c ) a vehicle exhibiting a trade licence;

( d ) a vehicle owned or being used by an exempted person within the meaning of Part VI of the Act;

( e ) a vehicle registered outside the State.

3. (1) Where a certificate of insurance is issued to a person, the vehicle insurer shall issue to such person one insurance disc for each vehicle to which the certificate relates.

(2) Where an insurance disc has been lost, destroyed, mutilated, discoloured or defaced or the figures or particulars thereon have become illegible the vehicle insurer, upon receipt of the original insurance disc if it is available or if it is not available upon being satisfied as to such loss, mutilation, discolouration, defacement or illegibility, shall issue a replacement to the insured.

4. (1) Every insurance disc shall be in the shape of a rectangle which when it is exhibited on a vehicle, shall have a horizontal measurement of not less than 85mm and not more than 95mm and a vertical measurement of not less than 70mm and not more than 80mm.

(2) Every insurance disc shall be of paper with a white background and with a green band not less than 8mm wide and not more than 12mm wide extending along and left hand side.

(3) Every insurance disc shall be in the form in the Schedule hereto and shall state the particulars of insurance which are required in the said form to be specified together with the month and year of expiry expressed numerically.

(4) In the case of vehicles owned by a fleet owner the name of the fleet owner may be inserted on the insurance disc in place of the registration number.

(5) In the case of a vehicle which is not yet registered, the chassis number of the vehicle may be inserted on the insurance disc in place of the registration number.

5. (1) When a vehicle is used in a public place the insurance disc for the vehicle shall be carried on the vehicle at all times after the expiry of 10 days from the date of authentication of the certificate of insurance.

(2) The insurance disc shall be carried in a conspicuous position on the windscreen of the vehicle in such manner that it shall be both visible and readily accessible for inspection and be so located that it does not obscure the vision of the driver while the vehicle is being driven or in the case of a vehicle not fitted with a windscreen in a conspicuous position on the near side of the vehicle.

6. No person shall, either by writing, drawing or in any other matter alter, deface, mutilate or add anything to any insurance disc for any vehicle, nor shall any person exhibit upon any vehicle any insurance disc which has been altered, defaced, mutilated or added to as aforesaid, or upon which the figures or particulars have become illegible or the colour has become altered by fading or otherwise, not shall any person exhibit any colourable imitation of any insurance disc or any insurance disc which has been issued in respect of another vehicle or any insurance disc which has become void nor shall any figures or letters, design or ornamentation be placed near to an insurance disc in such a manner as to render it more difficult to read nor shall anything be exhibited at or near the insurance disc, in such a manner as to render it more difficult to observe an insurance disc on a vehicle when in motion.

7. (1) Where the insured transfers the ownership of a vehicle to a third party he shall remove the insurance disc from the vehicle and shall within seven days, deliver it to the vehicle insurer by whom it was issued.

(2) Where the period of cover under an approved policy of insurance is terminated or suspended by any means before its expiration by effluxion of time, the insurance disc shall become void.

(3) An insurance disc which becomes void for a reason specified in sub-article (2) of this article, shall be removed from the vehicle by the insured and shall within seven days, be delivered by the insured to the vehicle insurer by whom it was issued.

SCHEDULE

Form of Insurance Disc Prescribed by Article 4

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for the Environment this 20th

day of December, 1984.

LIAM KAVANAGH,

Minister for the Environment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations require the display of an insurance disc on certain motor vehicles, when used in a public place, on or after 1st July, 1986.

The Regulations prescribe the dimensions, form and content of the disc.

The Regulations require motor insurance companies to issue the disc when issuing certificates of motor insurance.

The Regulations require motor vehicle owners to remove insurance discs and return such discs to insurance companies when disposing of vehicles or following the termination or suspension of relevant motor insurance policies.