asked the Minister for Local Government how many driver testers are to be appointed; and where they will be stationed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Appointment of Driver Testers.
40.
It is proposed that not fewer than six appointments as Driver Tester will be made provided that that number are qualified at the competition recently announced by the Civil Service Commission. The making of further appointments will be considered as the need arises.
Driver Testers will be headquartered at suitable centres throughout the country. These centres are at present being selected.
Did I understand the Minister correctly to say that the provision is to be six driver testers for the whole country? Does he intend at some later stage to have a larger number and does he intend to relate that number to a local authority administrative area, or does he expect them to be permanent officials who will go from one local authority to another?
In reply to the first part of the Deputy's supplementary, many more than six will ultimately be required. In so far as their dispersal throughout the country is concerned, the number of points at which they will be stationed will be relatively few. The area which they will ultimately cover from each centre will as a result be relatively large. No single driver tester will, it is anticipated, have any particular area of a known boundary or base assigned. In fact, the intention is that they will know only the morning of the test the particular people whom they will test that day.
Therefore, it is not in contemplation that there will be, in principle, driver testers of the order of approximately one for each local authority administrative area?
Not really on that area.
Say, from two to three for Dublin city and perhaps one or two for local authority areas in rural Ireland. Would that be the picture?
And interchangeable.
What are the terms of appointment? Who will make the appointments?
The Local Appointments Commission. It was advertised a week ago.