The number of abandoned vehicles throughout the State had increased since the introduction of the national car test, said Ms Deirdre Clune (FG, Cork South Central).

Ms Clune said that some 27,000 cars had failed the test, and, of those, 4,504 had failed the retest. "Where are those cars? Are they littered around the countryside? What are people to do with them?"

The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, said he had initiated discussions with the Society of the Irish Motor Industry with a view to the development by the industry of a "producer responsibility initiative" relating to end-of-life vehicles.

It was his objective to secure agreement on an acceptable vehicle recovery scheme not later than the autumn. He agreed that there had been a visible increase in the number of cars abandoned in various parts of the State, adding that it was the disposal of the cars which failed the retest that he was worried about.

"There is an obligation on the owners of these cars to dispose of them in a responsible manner. Local authorities have an obligation under the Waste Management Act 1996 to take action in relation to the enforcement and implementation of these provisions." He added that as well as those obligations, the Government was trying to put in place a producerled scheme similar to the REPAK scheme for repackaging waste.

"The obligation will not be taken away from the individual to dispose of his or her car in a responsible manner. The new producer-led scheme will be more effective than the Waste Management Act in relation to individuals and local authorities."

Pressed further by Ms Clune, the Minister said he would avail of the opportunity, when meeting managers over the next few weeks, to emphasise the necessity to take action. "As the deputy has rightly said, this is becoming a more visible pollution problem and one that needs to be tackled."