Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2023
96. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on what steps are being taken to address the significant backlog and lack of availability for driving tests, which is currently resulting in no available appointments until 2025 and is causing substantial employment issues for those requiring a full driving licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49364/23]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service.
The service has been under significant pressure to meet unprecedented demand, which has increased by 28% compared with 2021 figures. The Authority is currently providing an average of 4,000 tests per week, up 25% on this time last year. Anticipating ongoing demand pressures, the Authority reviewed the capacity of the service and, following a request for additional resources, my Department gave approval for the recruitment of up to 75 additional driver testers in March of this year. This brings the total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to 205, which is more than double the 100 sanctioned testing posts in June 2022. The first tranche of new recruits were deployed in September and it is expected that before the end of the year there will be a net increase of 42 driver testers. These new recruits will be deployed across the driver testing service with a focus on geographical areas with the longest waiting times and highest demand for tests. Average wait times have been declining since the end of August, and this reduction will accelerate as all of the new recruits enter active service. The RSA estimates that the agreed service level of average wait times of 10 weeks will resume in mid-2024.
