Skip to content
  • The PIL Toolkit
  • Update wall
  • News
  • Events
  • View our Vimeo channel
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Find us on Bluesky
  • View our Twitter account
  • Who we are
    • Our story
    • Our team
    • Our board
    • Solicitor members
    • NGO members
    • Our funders
    • Contact us
  • What we do
    • What is public interest litigation?
    • Services provided
    • FAQs
  • Work with us
    • For solicitors
    • For NGOs
    • For the general public
    • Pro bono lawyers
    • Education and students
  • Impact
    • Casework
    • Pro bono matters
    • Raising awareness
    • Downloads & resources
  • Who we are
    • Our story
    • Our team
    • Our board
    • Solicitor members
    • NGO members
    • Our funders
    • Contact us
  • What we do
    • What is public interest litigation?
    • Services provided
    • FAQs
  • Work with us
    • For solicitors
    • For NGOs
    • For the general public
    • Pro bono lawyers
    • Education and students
  • Impact
    • Casework
    • Pro bono matters
    • Raising awareness
    • Downloads & resources
  • The PIL Toolkit
  • Update wall
  • News
  • Events
  • View our Vimeo channel
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Find us on Bluesky
  • View our Twitter account
The image says 'Press Release' in white font on a teal green background. There is an animated, pale blue speech bubble beside the text, with a light bulb icon moving around in the centre of the speech bubble.

Green light for legal challenge over NI’s MOT emissions testing scandal

Published: February 14, 2023

Friends of the Earth has teamed up with The PILS Project and have been granted permission from the High Court to bring a legal challenge against the Department for Infrastructure in relation to a long-running and dangerous air quality failing.


The case will now proceed to full hearing in June 2023.

Hundreds of thousands of diesel cars in Northern Ireland have never received a legally compliant exhaust emissions test at government-controlled MOT vehicle testing centres. This failure has continued for the last 17 years.

Together, the two organisations have highlighted serious air pollution concerns caused by diesel emissions and have issued legal proceedings against the Department for Infrastructure over its recurring failure to identify dangerous emissions levels during MOT testing.

Their legal team will argue that in failing to fully test the emissions of diesel cars in Northern Ireland during MOT testing, the Department for Infrastructure has breached its duties not only under vehicle testing law but also its duties to protect public health and the health of Northern Ireland’s biodiversity and wildlife habitats.

James Orr, Director, Friends of the Earth NI commented:

“For the Department to consistently fail to comply with the law is nothing short of a major scandal.  The science is clear, the law is clear – there is a duty to test emissions in order to protect both public health and the health of habitats. We are taking the government to Court because we all have a right to breathe clean air.”

Maria McCloskey, PILS Director, commented:

“This is not just a case about diesel emissions. It is about air quality, environmental protections, and about a fundamental failure of our government to fulfil its legal obligations since 2006.

This case potentially impacts every single person living in Northern Ireland. It is, at its core, a public health issue. We, at PILS, are pleased to be able to offer our support to Friends of the Earth NI in this vitally important legal challenge.”

 

#CleanAirNI

Share article:

Back to all articles
Living Wage Employer, badge
To subscribe to our newsletter, please enter your email address below.

Community House
City Link Business Park
6A Albert Street
Belfast, BT12 4HQ

+44 (0)28 9099 4258

info@pilsni.org

9am-5pm, Mon-Fri

  • View our Vimeo channel
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Find us on Bluesky
  • View our Twitter account
© COPYRIGHT 2025. The PILS Project NI.
Privacy and Cookie Policy.
The PILS Project is registered as a company limited by guarantee in Northern Ireland. Company number: NI071364
Website by Bag of Bees Studio
Hit enter to search or ESC to close