Irish motorsports under threat following European court ruling

An MEP has warned that Irish motorsports is under threat following a European Court of Justice ruling which clarified European law on motor insurance.

Brian Hayes, a Fine Gael MEP for Dublin, is now fighting to have the EU Motor Insurance Directive amended before October, The Irish Times reports.

In Damijan Vnuk v Zavarovalnica Triglav, the European court effectively extended the scope of compulsory motor insurance to the use of motor vehicles on private land.

Mr Hayes said the judgment has “massive implications, potentially requiring that compulsory motor insurance covers all private places, including private farmland, racetracks and private car parks”.

He added: “Many Irish racetrack representatives have said that this ruling will effectively shut down Motorsport in Ireland as there is no market availability for such mandatory insurance.

“Their concerns are very real and the risk is that places like Mondello Park will be closed down if these new rules are forced upon EU Member States.”