A Cork woman has claimed that the National Car Testing Service is in breach of the Constitution as it has refused to recognise the designation ÉIRE instead of IRL on her licence plate.
Áine Uí Mhurchú's car failed the NCT at the testing centre in Blarney last week because the letters ÉIRE rather than IRL are displayed on the EU flag on her car's licence plate.
She said this is the sole reason given for failing the NCT.
Ms Uí Mhurchú says she has had the letters ÉIRE on the licence plate since she bought the car ten years ago and it was never an issue any time she did the NCT up to now.
She also said she wanted to appeal the decision but the form was not available in Irish.
Under the Article 4 of the Constitution, the name of the State is Éire, or in the English language, Ireland.
However, the statutory instrument relating to the registration of vehicles states that the "letters IRL shall appear in white letters on the blue background of the flag of the European Communities".
