Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
186. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons waiting for a test, per test centre; if a breakdown can be provided on the length of time waiting and the number of driving testers for each test centre, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13774/24]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service and the information requested is held by that agency. I have therefore referred the question to the RSA for direct, detailed reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days. Regarding the driver testing service more generally, in order to meet unprecedented demand and address testing delays, last year my Department gave approval for the recruitment of up to 75 additional driver testers. This brings the total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to 205 in 2023, which is more than double the 100 sanctioned testing posts in June 2022. By the end of 2023 there was an increase of 41 driver testers allocated across the driver testing service with a focus on geographical areas with the longest waiting times and highest demand for tests. Sanction remains in place for the Authority to increase the number of testers employed. The national average waiting time for invitation to test has been decreasing since last September, when the first tranche of new recruits were deployed. Average wait times peaked in August last year at 30.4 weeks, compared to 16.9 weeks at the end of September. My Department is continuing to work closely with the Authority to monitor demand and capacity requirements of the driver testing service to ensure it meets the agreed service level of average wait times of 10 weeks, which the Authority expects to achieve by mid-2024.
