Michael Collins
Question:168. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Transport if he will address the lack of driving test capacity particularly for young persons (details supplied). [44396/21]
View answerThursday, 16 September 2021
Questions (168)
Written answers
Due to the suspension of driver testing services in the initial pandemic response, along with the health protocols required since the resumption of services, services are operating well below normal capacity and a significant backlog has developed.
Covid 19 has had a profound effect on the delivery of services which must comply with occupational and public health guidelines. Fewer daily tests can now be conducted due to social distancing and priority is given to essential workers and then to those who have had tests cancelled due to Covid.
In line with the gradual reopening of services this Summer, driving tests for all those who are eligible to take the test and have been waiting longest have now recommenced. Critical frontline workers continue to be the priority for the driver testing service. There is no discrimination against young people in rural areas seeking a test. Everyone who is eligible to take a test can seek a date for a test. While I appreciate that all young drivers are anxious to take their test, they must pass their Theory Test, hold a Learner Permit for at least 6 months and take 12 mandatory lessons before they are eligible to sit a test. It is also notable that on average 44% of all those who sit a driving test, fail the test.
The latest figures available to Sunday 12 September show, in spite of the challenges posed by Covid, 101,870 tests have been offered and the RSA has delivered 92,672 driving tests in 2021. It is highly significant that, since the summer 2020 reopening of services, there has been no case of Covid transmission attributed to the driving test.
My Department is liaising with the RSA on an ongoing basis to meet the growing demand for tests. The RSA has a complement of 100 permanent driver testers. An additional 40 temporary driver testers have been authorised along with 36 approved for retention or rehire in 2020. These testers have been recruited and trained and commenced testing in July.
In addition, sanction was granted at the end of June to add a further 40 testers to the cohort. When trained and in place, this will increase the number of testers to 216.
The RSA is looking to increase the number of tests from 6 to 7 per tester per day from the end of September as well as extending operating hours and expanding facilities at existing centres or opening new centres where appropriate.
At this point, there are on average 3,254 tests conducted per week and the number of tests scheduled is increasing on a gradual basis. However, it should be noted that approximately 5% of all tests scheduled are not conducted or are abandoned on the day for a number of reasons (e.g. no NCT, insurance not valid etc). In addition, it is very disappointing to note that a number of people do not turn up on the day for their scheduled test. The RSA has been working hard to reduce this “no show” rate, which was 10% and the volume of “no shows” has now dropped dramatically to an average of 1.38%.
Assuming a successful return to 7 tests per tester per day, the capacity of the system will be 4,881 tests per week. This will increase again by December when the additional 40 testers are trained and commence testing.
As of Sunday 12 September 2021, 67,684 people were waiting to receive an invitation for a driving test, while 10,094 had received a test date. A further 28,631 have applied for their test but are not currently eligible to take it (i.e. they have not completed all of the Essential Driver Training (EDT) lessons or they have held their learner permit for less than 6 months).
Of the roughly 67,500 waiting to receive an invitation, :
- Approximately 8,000 have received and invite and not used it within the 10-day window
- Approximately 13,000 are in a current invite cycle, i.e. they have an open invite, having received one in the past 10 days, and have not yet used it
This leaves a truer figure of 46,500 waiting currently.
This means that, with a possibility of 4,881 tests weekly, it should be possible to clear the backlog in 14 weeks. The backlogs and waiting times will reduce further when the additional 40 testers sanctioned during the Summer come on stream towards year end.
I have to caution though that many people will have held off from applying during the lockdown, either because they were non-essential workers or because they were essential workers who had not completed the mandatory lessons. Even as we increase capacity, we can anticipate an increase in demand for a period.
It should be acknowledged that RSA driver testers are undertaking driving tests in extraordinarily difficult conditions, in an enclosed space, where physical distancing is not possible. Testers are also moving between vehicles provided by test candidates, which are not controllable work environments.
The health of both the public and the testers themselves must take priority, and as a result it is important to recognise that it will take time to get driver testing waiting times back to normal pre-Covid levels.