A surge in revenues at the company that runs the State’s car roadworthiness tests boosted profits to more than €6 million, new figures show.
Revenues at Applus Inspection Services Ireland Ltd, responsible for the National Car Test (NCT) scheme, climbed almost 14.5 per cent to €103.2 million last year from €91 million in 2023, according to accounts just filed.
Pretax profit increased more than six times to €6.6 million in 2024 from €1 million in 2023, the filings state. Profit after tax was €5.4 million last year against €839,000 in 2023.
Applus paid €7.6 million in dividends to its shareholder in 2024. That included a final payment of €2 million in December, which the accounts say related to 2023.
READ MORE
During 2024, it paid an interim dividend of €5.6 million. The board did not recommend paying a final dividend for 2024.
The company’s ultimate parent is British-registered Amberjvco, owned by a group of investment funds.
Why is the delivery of vital infrastructure so slow in Ireland?
Applus Services, the Spanish-based global specialist in testing and certification, owned the Irish business up to October 2024, when it transferred to Amberjvco, the accounts state.
The Irish company won the 10-year contract to operate the NCT service in 2019 from the Road Safety Authority. The deal runs from 2020 to 2030.
The NCT is a mandatory test carried out on all cars in the Republic to ensure that they are safe and environmentally compliant. Those less than 10 years old must be tested every two years, those over that age must be checked annually.
Directors Edward Synott and Aitor Retes Aguado say in their report that the company’s overall performance last year was positive.
This reflected the increased number of tests carried out after boosting staff numbers throughout its network.
The company employed 843 people in 2024. According to its website, those workers are based at more than 50 locations around the country.
It maintains that its 600-plus inspectors are all qualified motor mechanics.
Its wage, welfare and pension bill was almost €49 million, the figures show.
Overall costs rose to €97 million last year from €90 million in 2023.
The balance sheet shows that total assets dipped to €50 million at December 31st 2024 from €51.7 million 12 months earlier.
Applus states that its service is completely independent and not tied to the motor trade or to any business engaged in repairing or maintaining cars.
The Applus group is a multinational that provides its services to industries including energy, oil and gas, construction, infrastructure and aviation. The company has nine car test businesses in Europe and the Americas.
