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Driver Test

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021

Wednesday, 24 March 2021

Questions (58)

Verona Murphy

Question:

58. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the progress his Department has made with the Road Safety Authority to provide an online facility for the driver theory test; the timeline before proposals on same are examined by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15602/21]

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Written answers

The current public health emergency has had a profoundly disruptive effect on the learning and testing system in this country. I can assure the Deputy that the Department is very aware of the challenges facing the RSA as they work hard to further manage the backlog in the Driver Theory Testing Service.

The Driver Theory Test has not been deemed to be an essential service under Level 5.  Therefore, the service is closed while Level 5 restrictions remain in place.

My Department had previously requested that the RSA, as the body legally responsible for the driver theory test, examine whether theory tests can be taken on-line remotely and what is required to do so.  

Acting on this request, the Driver Theory Test service launched a pilot phase of a new initiative, offering a Remote Testing service for specific categories of Theory Test (C, D, CD, BMT, TMT, ADI, CPCB, CPCT). This was trialled during December and January.

The pilot phase is now being evaluated with a view to extending the online service to all test types during 2021. However, this expansion of services will take some time. Operational, technical, logistical and contractual issues will have to be addressed prior to roll out of the service and it is expected to be at least the end of Quarter Two before the RSA are in a position to offer the service for all test categories.

As remote testing facilitates additional capacity whilst also enabling the service to continue in the event of further lockdowns, it would be expected this would greatly help in returning the service to normal waiting times over the second half of this year.

In addition to the remote testing initiative, the RSA is engaging with its service provider to examine ways of increasing the number of tests within the current health constraints for when services resume. In this regard, the aim is to double capacity at test centres over a three-month period. Subject to decisions on future Covid 19 restrictions, this will mean that additional capacity would be made available in April, May and June 2021.

Normal capacity before the pandemic was approximately 15,000 tests per month.  When the service reopened in July 2020, this was increased to 25,000 to deal with the backlog which had developed by that point.  Based on the capacity of 25,000 tests per month, the aim is to provide an additional 25,000 tests per month on top of this for the first 3 months of reopening, or a total of 75,000 extra test appointments over the three-month period. This would make substantial inroads into numbers waiting over that time period.

The Department has been in discussions with the RSA on how to return to the normal target for the maximum waiting time. It will not be possible to arrive at this quickly, given restraints which must be in place due to the pandemic.

 It is important to recognise that there are no quick fixes and that the continuing build-up of applications as the pandemic goes on means that it will take time to return to a normal waiting time. It is also important to emphasise that the review of Level 5 restrictions, which are currently due to expire on the 05 April, will impact on how quickly the backlog plan can be delivered.

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