Vol. 562 No. 1
412 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Transport the number of applicants for driving tests on a county by county basis; the length of time they are waiting; if he intends to introduce new driving test centres and extra staff to reduce the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5206/03]
The most recent statistics on numbers waiting, average waiting times and longest waiting times for a driving test at each test centre are set out in the following table. The average waiting time is derived having regard to waiting times, ranging from the shortest to the longest, experienced by individual applicants over a particular period at a test centre. The longest waiting time shows the current longest period any individual has to wait for a test at that centre.
Of the 108,922 applicants on the waiting list, 31,531 have been scheduled for a test, 9,456 have indicated that they are not available for test and 67,935 are awaiting a test appointment.
The current level of applications for the driving test and the resultant backlog is unprecedented. While the capacity of the driving test service to deliver tests has increased significantly in recent years I am considering, in consultation with the Minister for Finance, what other measures can be taken to enable tests to be offered within the shortest possible time.
|
Test Centre |
Applicants awaiting a Driving Test on 27 January 2003 |
Average Weeks Waiting |
Longest weeks waiting |
|
Athlone |
1,044 |
9 |
17 |
|
Ballina |
1,115 |
9 |
26 |
|
Birr |
1,041 |
11 |
12 |
|
Buncrana |
450 |
13 |
16 |
|
Carlow |
2,092 |
20 |
22 |
|
Carrick on Shannon |
1,004 |
11 |
17 |
|
Castlebar |
1,950 |
13 |
21 |
|
Cavan |
1,768 |
10 |
25 |
|
Churchtown-Rathgar |
9,733 |
15 |
28 |
|
Clifden |
350 |
10 |
12 |
|
Clonmel |
1,747 |
14 |
18 |
|
Cork |
6,808 |
10 |
16 |
|
Donegal |
847 |
11 |
18 |
|
Dundalk |
2,704 |
12 |
17 |
|
Dungarvan |
1,382 |
15 |
18 |
|
Ennis |
818 |
9 |
12 |
|
Finglas |
8,001 |
14 |
15 |
|
Galway |
2,312 |
10 |
15 |
|
Gorey |
1,711 |
9 |
25 |
|
Kilkenny |
2,253 |
13 |
16 |
|
Killarney |
1,814 |
11 |
21 |
|
Kilrush |
479 |
12 |
18 |
|
Letterkenny |
1,197 |
11 |
13 |
|
Limerick |
3,045 |
12 |
18 |
|
Longford |
970 |
9 |
21 |
|
Loughrea |
1,020 |
11 |
14 |
|
Mallow |
1,982 |
12 |
18 |
|
Monaghan |
1,107 |
10 |
19 |
|
Mullingar |
1,874 |
9 |
17 |
|
Naas |
5,541 |
12 |
29 |
|
Navan |
3,895 |
15 |
18 |
|
Nenagh |
671 |
19 |
19 |
|
Newcastle West |
1,651 |
10 |
18 |
|
Portlaoise |
1,546 |
13 |
18 |
|
Raheny |
6,195 |
17 |
18 |
|
Roscommon |
1,057 |
11 |
13 |
|
Shannon |
859 |
15 |
22 |
|
Skibbereen |
1,579 |
11 |
20 |
|
Sligo |
1,125 |
10 |
14 |
|
Tallaght |
7,982 |
17 |
27 |
|
Thurles |
1,016 |
15 |
20 |
|
Tipperary |
1,029 |
18 |
23 |
|
Tralee |
1,856 |
10 |
16 |
|
Test Centre |
Applicants awaiting a Driving Test on 27 January 2003 |
Average Weeks Waiting |
Longest weeks waiting |
|
Tuam |
1,102 |
10 |
13 |
|
Tullamore |
1569 |
9 |
22 |
|
Waterford |
3,043 |
14 |
22 |
|
Wexford |
2,266 |
15 |
17 |
|
Wicklow |
2,322 |
9 |
27 |
|
Total |
108,922 |
