UNSATISFACTORY ANSWERS FROM VOLKSWAGEN

Posted on October 21, 2015 5:46 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Sean Kenny, Dublin Bay North Labour TD and Vice Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport has said that the appearance by Volkswagen at the Committee to discuss the ongoing scandal regarding emissions made by Volkswagen diesel engines has raised more questions than it has answered.

Deputy Kenny said: "It became clear to me during the questioning of the Volkswagen representative that not all the questions asked were going to be answered.

"I was particularly interested in finding out who had developed the software and whether it had been done internally by Volkswagen, or if they had contracted outside developers."

"I was not impressed at what appeared to be contradictory answers, but eventually I received a muddled answer about software being developed outside for use in engines, that was customised by Volkswagen, which appears to suggest that the software written in order to be used to get around emissions tests must have been written by Volkswagen."

"I did not get any clear answer as to how it was developed, whether other car manufacturers are involved - I'd be particularly interested to see if other manufacturers within the Volkswagen group have this software in their engines."

"I am very disappointed at the behaviour of Volkswagen as a corporate entity. It appears as though there is a question of some kind of conspiracy to flout the laws of the EU and of Ireland. Environmental legislation and climate change issues are of critical importance, and to think that a large and reputable company such as Volkswagen would conspire to avoid having to comply with the law is disgraceful."

"I expect Volkswagen to clarify this situation, not just in the case of Volkswagen vehicles, but also with Audi, Seat and Skoda vehicles, all manufacturers owned by Volkswagen. Motorists in Ireland and the wider EU that drive Volkswagen Group vehicles expect and deserve to be treated better than this."