Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Feb 2000

Vol. 514 No. 6

Written Answers. - Driving Tests.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

241 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will increase the number of driving testers at the Naas examination centre or alternatively set in place a second centre in the south County Kildare area in view of the high number of applicants on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5183/00]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

The present network of driving test centres comprises 49 centres nationwide. This is generally considered to provide good coverage across the country and represents a reasonable balance between convenience to test applicants and the need for economy in delivering the driver testing service. It is not proposed to establish another test centre in the south Kildare area.

At present, two testers are headquartered in the Naas driving test centre. However, in view of the current level of demand four testers normally work in the centre each week. My Department's objective is to reduce waiting times generally to ten weeks by the end of this year.