Paul Bradford
Ceist:427 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of applicants awaiting a driving test at the test centre, Mallow, County Cork; and the average waiting time for each applicant. [8117/99]
Written Answers. - Driving Tests.
At present, some 1,672 applicants are awaiting driving tests at Mallow test centre. Of these, 479 have been given appointments and a further 164 are currently not available to be tested.
While average waiting periods have not been compiled for individual test centres due to limitations in the IT system involved, the national average waiting time for a test is now some 33 weeks. However, applicants who require a test for urgent reasons are being given earlier appointments. At present, some 21 per cent of applicants are being tested within 15 weeks.
My Department is responding to this unsatisfactory situation by increasing the numbers and productivity of its testers. Saturday testing has been in place for some time and a further package of productivity measures has also been implemented. The service is also being augmented by the appointment of new testers on both a permanent and contract basis.