Danny Healy-Rae
Question:503. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport for an update regarding driving tests delays (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20633/25]
View answerTuesday, 29 April 2025
Questions (503, 504, 546, 547)
Danny Healy-Rae
Question:504. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport regarding the wait time for a driving test in Killarney, which is now six months, how this compares with other centres; if a breakdown of wait times by driving test centre can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20634/25]
View answer
John Clendennen
Question:546. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Transport the engagement he has had with the Road Safety Authority regarding efforts to reduce the wait times for driving tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21224/25]
View answerJohn Clendennen
Question:547. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Transport the current number of driver testers assigned to each of the driving test centres in County Offaly; the number of additional driver testers proposed to be assigned to each of these test centres following recent recruitment; the timeline of when they will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21225/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 503, 504, 546 and 547 together.
Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service and the information requested relating to test centres and candidates is held by the Authority. I have referred the Deputies' questions to the RSA for direct, detailed reply and I would ask the Deputies to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
Pending this more detailed response, I acknowledge that current waiting times are far in excess of what is acceptable and I would like to assure the Deputies that measures have been taken to address the issue.
To support the RSA in increasing testing capacity and improving service delivery, in September 2024 my Department sanctioned an additional 70 permanent positions for driver testers. This increases the total permanent sanction for testers to 200, which represents a doubling of permanent posts since June 2022.
As a condition of sanction, the RSA was required to put a plan in place to restore the 10-week waiting time target as soon as possible. I understand that the recruitment process is well underway, with the first tranche of new testers being deployed into service this month. As additional testers enter the system, testing capacity will increase and I expect that we will begin to see progress on reducing waiting times in the months ahead.
The Deputies may wish to know that the driver testing booking system has been updated to allow for any unused test slots to be made available for candidates to take up at short notice. The RSA now make these appointments available for candidates to book on the MyRoadSafety portal.
Driver testing is also offered on Saturdays where driver testers are available to do overtime and there are also additional morning and evening test slots offered where daylight allows. This has been the case since the current backlog in driving tests started to build up.
Finally, the Deputies may also wish to note that the RSA publish detailed monthly information on the driver testing service on the CSO website, including the breakdown of waiting times and distribution of testing capacity by test centre. This information is available at the following link: https://data.cso.ie/product/RSADTS.
Question No. 504 answered with Question No. 503.