Over recent months the Vehicle Repairs Association (VRA) has been active in working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on initiatives to restrict the activities of non-certified body repairers.

One of the main thrusts of this activity, has been an approach by the EPA to the Irish Insurance Federation (IIF), to secure an agreement, whereby the Federation will recommend to its members that they only supply insurance repair jobs, to repairers who are registered with their local council and have an AIC registration number.

Negotiations between the EPA and the IIF have now taken place and the EPA is in the process of compiling a current list of certified body repairers. This will shortly be forwarded to the IIF for circulation to member insurance companies, who will be asked not to give future insurance jobs to non-certified repairers.

The Irish Insurance Federation has also stated that it is fully supportive of the Irish Decorative Paints Directive (S.I.199 of 2007) and will work with the EPA in supporting the implementation of these important environmental regulations.

Other initiatives restricting the activity of non certified repairs are also taking place, including more inspections and prosecutions and a government green procurement action plan, which includes a section on state bodies only using certified repairers for the painting of vehicles. The EPA is also planning a publicity initiative (see below), which will highlight to the motoring public, the importance of only using a certified repairer when making their choice of repairer.  

The aim of these various initiatives is to encourage all Irish body repair operations to become fully compliant, certified and to operate to environmental best practice standards. Any repairers who are not yet certified, are urged to engage in the compliance and certification process in order to protect the future of their business.