Seán Haughey
Question:321 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will recruit more driving testers in the Dublin area; the procedures involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25198/99]
Written Answers. - Driving Tests.
Significant additional resources have been allocated to the driving test service in the past 12 months. The number of driver testers has been increased by over 50 per cent to 101.
Most of the recent recruits to the driver testing service have been assigned to the Dublin area. Nearly 47 per cent of the total complement of driver testers currently employed by my Department are based in the Dublin region. In addition, two new driving test centres have recently been opened in the Dublin area. With these increased resources, improvements in waiting times are being realised.
I do not anticipate that extra driver testers will be recruited for the Dublin area in the immediate future. However, the situation will be kept under review.
Driver testers are recruited through open competition arranged by the Civil Service Commission as an independent body. The last competition conducted by the Civil Service Commission consisted of a psychometric test, a driving test and a competitive interview.