Vol. 513 No. 1
81 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the average waiting time for a person who wishes to take a driving test; the plans, if any, he has to reduce this waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1600/00]
101 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of applicants awaiting a driving test at the latest date for which figures are available; the length of the waiting time for a test at each centre; the reason for the long delays; the steps, if any, being taken to reduce the waiting time for tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1580/00]
558 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the waiting period to avail of a driving test in one of the driving test centres in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1779/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 81, 101 and 558 together.
Some 88,500 applicants are at present awaiting driving tests, an improvement of 13,400 over mid-1999. Of these, approximately 27,000 have been given test appointments and a further 15,000 have indicated that they are not currently available to be tested. The average longest waiting time nationally is 29 weeks, a reduction of 12 weeks relative to early 1999. Applicants who require a test for urgent reasons, however, are given earlier appointments; about 27% of applicants are tested within 15 weeks.
Average waiting times have not been compiled for each centre due to limitations in the information technology systems involved. The tabular statement in this reply, however, sets out the longest waiting time for each centre. Of the 88,500 applicants, 27,000 are awaiting tests in the Dublin area. The longest waiting times in the Dublin area are 50 weeks in the Finglas-Raheny centre and 48 weeks in the Churchtown-Rathgar-Tallaght centre.
Applications for driving tests are now running at more than a third above earlier levels, driven by exceptional conditions of economic growth. In 1999 a record 154,000 test applications were made to my Department, compared to 118,000 applications in 1887.
Significant additional resources have been allocated to the driver testing service, which now numbers 101 testers compared to 66 in 1998. Together with recent productivity agreements and Saturday working, this has increased the testing capacity of the service by over 90,000 tests to 202,000 tests annually. Two new test centres have been provided in Tallaght and Raheny.
I am determined to maintain the momentum of improvement in the driving test service which has now begun and to end present excessive and unacceptable waiting times. A maximum waiting time of ten weeks is being targeted by the end of this year.
|
Test Centre |
Longest waiting period (weeks) |
|
Nth. Leinster Region |
|
|
Finglas |
50 |
|
Dundalk |
27 |
|
Mullingar |
18 |
|
Navan |
34 |
|
Sth. Leinster Region |
|
|
Churchtown/Rathgar/Tallaght |
46 |
|
Gorey |
24 |
|
Naas |
35 |
|
Tullamore |
23 |
|
Wicklow |
29 |
|
West Region |
|
|
Athlone |
22 |
|
Birr |
21 |
|
Castlebar |
39 |
|
Clifden |
21 |
|
Ennis |
31 |
|
Galway |
34 |
|
Loughrea |
24 |
|
Roscommon |
31 |
|
Tuam |
31 |
|
Nth. West Region |
|
|
Ballina |
34 |
|
Buncrana |
20 |
|
Ck-on-Shannon |
19 |
|
Cavan |
28 |
|
Donegal |
22 |
|
Letterkenny |
42 |
|
Longford |
23 |
|
Monaghan |
19 |
|
Sligo |
25 |
|
Sth. East Region |
|
|
Carlow |
27 |
|
Clonmel |
20 |
|
Dungarvan |
22 |
|
Kilkenny |
29 |
|
Nenagh |
17 |
|
Portlaoise |
25 |
|
Thurles |
18 |
|
Tipperary |
20 |
|
Waterford |
25 |
|
Wexford |
30 |
|
Sth. West Region |
|
|
Cork |
46 |
|
Killarney |
34 |
|
Kilrush |
31 |
|
Limerick |
35 |
|
Mallow |
34 |
|
Newcastle West |
40 |
|
Shannon |
35 |
|
Skibbereen |
37 |
|
Tralee |
33 |
|
Regional Average |
|
|
Nth. Leinster |
32 |
|
Sth. Leinster |
31 |
|
West |
28 |
|
Nth. West |
26 |
|
Sth. East |
23 |
|
Sth. West |
36 |
|
Overall Average |
28.9 |
The current figures which the Minister detailed today are similar to those of 1997-98. We are only reaching that stage, not improving the figures. Is the Minister aware that at the current rate of testing, and in the event of no new provision for the issuance of provisional licences, it will take approximately three years to clear the backlog? If the 45% failure rate is taken into account, it will take four and a half years to clear the backlog.
The figures are not satisfactory, I have made that clear. I have worked hard to increase the number of tests substantially. As I explained to the House on a number of occasions, there was great difficulty in securing agreement about improvements through the PCW process. Out of that process, however, came a willingness to operate on an overtime basis and increased productivity was achieved. We recruited 37 new testers, some on contract and some permanent, and I am considering recruiting an additional six testers to reach the ten week target I have set.
It is difficult to anticipate the number of new applications which will come in. It is tremendous that there is such demand, it reflects what is going on in the economy. It is unsatisfactory, however, that our system has not been able to crank itself up quickly enough to achieve an equilibrium in the number of applications arriving and the number of tests being undertaken.
Perhaps the Minister should be cranked up.
The issue is at arm's length from me, it is being worked through the industrial relations process.
There is a lot at arm's length from the Minister.
I will take some of the credit for the increase in the testing corps from 66 to 101, giving the capacity to hold 202,000 tests in a year. There would be a greater reduction in time on the waiting lists were it not for the huge increase in the number of people – 154,000 – who have applied for tests.
The testers are doing a tremendous job under great strain. They have agreed to work on Saturdays and to work overtime. We have employed a number of new testers and more are being recruited. These have to be trained and more testers must be employed because of the numbers applying for the test.
The Minister of State is responsible for road safety policy. Does he believe it is acceptable that one in every four drivers has only a provisional licence and that some learner drivers have held provisional licences for as long as ten years? Is it acceptable that a learner driver can hold a provisional licence for four years without taking or test or even being questioned on the rules of the road?
I have responsibility for road safety. I am implementing a comprehensive road safety strategy throughout the country and we are receiving wonderful co-operation from local authority members and officials, health boards, gardaí and the community. My objective is to reduce the 1997 figure for road deaths by 20% before 2002. We are on target to meet that objective although a disaster could occur on our roads at any time. The road using public are adopting a much more responsible attitude and the public bodies which are involved in the promotion of road safety, particularly the National Safety Council, are doing a wonderful job in keeping the safety message before the public.
I agree that far too many people with provisional licences are driving and that the time people must wait to do the driving test is far too long in some areas. I have given instances of the worst areas. I have also given some indication of the measures taken and which I will continue to take to reduce the waiting period. The situation is not satisfactory and I do not defend it. There is great pressure on the people working in the system and I am grateful to them. More testers must be recruited to cater for the huge increase in the number of test applicants.
In Dublin one must now wait up to a year to do a driving test. Is it the Minister's intention to bring that waiting period down to ten weeks by the end of this year? If so, can he estimate the number of driving tests to be carried out in Dublin during the year 2000 and what additional resources will be provided in the Dublin area within that period? Does it not make a nonsense of campaigns to combat drink driving and speeding and to encourage the use of seatbelts to have 85,000 people driving who are not qualified to do so?
The figure of ten weeks is an average figure.
What is the figure in Dublin?
I cannot say what the figure is in Dublin. I can only say it is not acceptable; it is the worst in the country. It is my intention to recruit more testers, to increase the level of output and to reduce the waiting period in the Dublin driving test centres. I cannot forecast figures because I have no idea how many more applications will be received. I will continue my efforts in conjuntion with the union representing the driving testers. I hope they will agree to allow me to bring back testers who have retired to help us clear the backlog.
Is there a target for Dublin?
The target is ten weeks. That is an average for the whole country.
Three Deputies are offering. I will allow a brief supplementary question from each.
Can the Minister confirm the total number of drivers who hold provisional licences and who are currently driving? Can he confirm that this is the only country in the EU where a holder of a provisional licence may drive unaccompanied by a qualified driver?
It takes up to 12 months to be tested in Dublin. Is the Minister aware that, as a result of this, insurance companies are continuing to charge very high premiums for people who hold provisional licences even though they would pass the test if they had the chance to take it? The problem is not simply one of inconvenience. The cost of motor insurance for young people is also affected. Has the Minister considered involving the private sector in driver testing on a temporary basis in order to clear the backlog?
Has the Minister any plans to change the system which allows young drivers and new drivers to drive on a first, second and even third provisional licence without having any form of assessment or is he happy that that system remains in place? Does the Minister have figures for the failure rate of driving test applicants?
The number of people driving on provisional licences is 24% of all drivers which is 371,000. The waiting period for the driving test can be reduced in special circumstances, for instance if it is essential for the applicant's job. The waiting time can be reduced to 15 weeks or less in an emergency. The only way to deal with this problem fairly is to reduce the average waiting time for all areas and this will help to reduce insurance costs.
It is hoped to introduce a theory test this year. It will be necessary to pass this test before a provisional licence is issued.
The Minister says that every year. We have been waiting three years.
This has been held up slightly because it has been decided to use the public private partnership method in order not to get bogged down in the future as has happened with driving tests. Consultants are drawing up the requirements and proposals will be invited for the operation of the new theory test. I hope this will be introduced before the end of this year.
