Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 June 2023
43. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport what options are available to a person who has lost possible employment because they cannot get a driving test (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31504/23]
View answer46. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport if a driving test will be expedited for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal for employment purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31639/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 46 together.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for all aspects of the National Driving Test service. This includes test applications and scheduling matters. Neither I nor my Department have the power to intervene in individual cases. I believe that the Authority operates a fair and transparent appointment scheduling process such that those who are eligible and have been waiting the longest are offered a test first.
I would like to assure the Deputy that my Department is working closely with the Authority on addressing driver testing waiting times, which is an issue of great concern.The RSA has reviewed the capacity of the driver testing service to meet demand and following a request for additional resources in March 2023, my Department has given approval for the recruitment of up to 75 driver testers. This is in addition to the 30 testers who were previously sanctioned in July 2022 and which have been fully deployed since the end of March 2023. This brings the total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to just over 200.It is expected that once these additional driver testers are recruited, trained, and deployed, the backlog for driver testing services will start to reduce from October 2023 and agreed service levels should resume by early to mid-2024. The additional testers will be assigned to fill current vacancies and otherwise allocated to centres with the highest demand for tests. The recruitment process by the RSA is well under way.
