Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 6

Written Answers. - Driving Tests.

Seán Barrett

Question:

76 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the average waiting time for a driving test in Dublin city and county for each of the years 1997 to date; and the number of testers employed. [16060/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

Relevant information on the deployment of driver testers, who are assigned to regions and not to individual test centres, is set out in the following table.

Number of Driver Testers Assigned

Region	1997*	1998*	1999**
North Leinster	16	16	22
South Leinster	16	16	22
Total	32	32	44

*at 1 January; **at 22 May

A further nine new testers are currently undergoing training; seven of these will be additionally assigned between north and south Leinster regions. These additional testing resources being applied should bring progressive and substantial improvement in waiting times in Dublin.

While average waiting periods have not been compiled for individual test centres due to limitations in the IT systems involved, information on the national average waiting time is set out in the following table. Based on other known data in relation to the Dublin test centres, the average waiting period at these centres would be longer than the national average.

National Average Waiting Period for Driving Test

Year	1997	1998	1999
Waiting period	16 weeks*	20 weeks*	27 weeks*-29 weeks**

*at 1 January; **at 22 May.