S.I. No. 254/1989:

INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND STANDARDS (SECTION 44) (RETREADED PASSENGER CAR AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLE TYRES) ORDER, 1989.

INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND STANDARDS (SECTION 44) (RETREADED PASSENGER CAR AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLE TYRES) ORDER, 1989.

I, MICHAEL SMITH, Minister of State at the Department of Industry and Commerce, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the Industry and Commerce (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order, 1989, (No. 225 of 1989), and by Section 44 of the Industrial Research and Standards Act, 1961 (No. 20 of 1961), hereby make the following Order:

1. This Order may be cited as the Industrial Research and Standards (Section 44) (Retreaded Passenger Car and Commercial Vehicle Tyres) Order, 1989.

2. This Order shall come into operation on the 23rd day of October, 1989.

3. In this Order--

"commercial vehicle" means a mechanically propelled vehicle (other than a cycle) constructed primarily for the carriage of goods or services;

"passenger car" means a mechanically propelled vehicle (other than a cycle) constructed primarily for the carriage of passengers;

"retreaded" refers to "retreading" as defined by clause 2.1.2 of Irish Standard 412:1988.

4. It shall be unlawful to manufacture, assemble or sell retreaded passenger car or commercial vehicle tyres unless they comply with the requirements of Irish Standard 412:1988.

5. In any proceedings in relation to this Order it shall be a defence for the person charged to prove:

(a) that the tyre complies with the Standard or Standards of another Member State of the European Community, and

(b) that the Standard or Standards referred to in paragraph (a) guarantee an equivalent degree of safety and reliability to Irish Standard 412:1988.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Industry and

Commerce this 5th day of October, 1989.

MICHAEL SMITH,

Minister of State at the Department of Industry

and Commerce.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

This Order prohibits, in the interests of greater safety, the manufacture, assembly or sale of retreaded passenger car or commercial vehicle tyres unless they comply with the requirements of Irish Standard 412:1988. Retreaded tyres which comply with the Standard of other European Community Member States are also acceptable provided that such Standards guarantee a level of safety and reliability which is equivalent to I.S. 412:1988.

The requirements of the Order in summary form are as follows:

--retreaded tubed and tubeless tyres must be capable of operating at certain speeds under particular load and inflation pressures;

--the minimum depth of new rubber under the tread pattern, after retreading, must be 1 mm for passenger car tyres and between 2 mm and 3 mm for commercial vehicle tyres, depending on the tyre size;

--prior to processing, each tyre must be examined both internally and externally for any of the damages listed in the Standard. If such damages are found to exist, the tyre cannot be used for retreading unless the damage can be repaired in a satisfactory manner.

--minimum marking requirements for retreaded tyres are also listed. Each retreaded tyre must be permanently and legibly marked on both sides with the following information:

(i) the retread manufacturer's name and/or trade mark;

(ii) the marking I.S. 412:1988, or the marking of an equivalent Standard of another Member State of the European Community, if appropriate;

(iii) the nominal size of the tyre;

(iv) the ply rating, where the rating is 6 or over;

(v) the wording "RETREAD" or where applicable "REMOULD";

(vi) in the case of tubeless tyres -- the word "TUBELESS";

(vii) in the case of radial tyres -- the word "RADIAL" or the letter "R";

(viii) the direction of rotation where it is marked on the original tyre.