The road transport department announced on Friday the recall of an additional seven Vauxhall vehicles due to defective Takata driver airbags.

Owners of the affected vehicles are being instructed to immediately immobilise them.

The department has revoked the certificate of suitability for these vehicles, reinforcing the urgency of the recall.

Vehicle owners are urged to contact CIC Automasters for guidance on arranging replacements.

The recall forms part of a wider safety campaign targeting Takata airbags, which have been linked to serious injuries and fatalities when exposed to heat or humidity, causing the airbag to explode.

The government has previously offered €100 per week to certain motorists whose vehicles have been immobilised, provided appointments for airbag replacement are made by the end of January.

The payments are targeted at guaranteed minimum income recipients, pensioners, single parents, families with multiple children, and those without access to another vehicle.

The move follows the February decree by Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, ordering the recall of over 80,000 cars fitted with potentially faulty Takata airbags.