Vol. 532 No. 2
169 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of driving examiners currently employed by his Department in driver testing; the location and number of centres they are employed in; the method of recruitment; if recruitment is ongoing; when a new panel will be sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7227/01]
There are currently 115 driver testers employed in my Department. Driver testers are recruited by the Civil Service Commission from competitions that are conducted periodically. The last such competition was in 1998 and all recent appointees qualified from it. The current panel is due to expire shortly.
The next competition for permanent appointees will be confined to those contract testers serving with the Department on 1 August 2000. The position about the need for further recruitment will be kept under review.
There are 49 driving test centres throughout the country. The locations of the centres are as follows:
|
Centre |
Centre |
Centre |
|
Dublin (4) |
Dungarvan |
Nenagh |
|
Limerick (2) |
Ennis |
Newcastle West |
|
Athlone |
Galway |
Portlaoise |
|
Ballina |
Gorey |
Roscommon |
|
Birr |
Kilkenny |
Shannon |
|
Buncrana |
Killarney |
Skibbereen |
|
Carlow |
Kilrush |
Sligo |
|
Carrick-on-Shannon |
Letterkenny |
Thurles |
|
Castlebar |
Longford |
Tipperary |
|
Cavan |
Loughrea |
Tralee |
|
Clifden |
Mallow |
Tuam |
|
Clonmel |
Monaghan |
Tullamore |
|
Cork |
Mullingar |
Waterford |
|
Donegal |
Naas |
Wexford |
|
Dundalk |
Navan |
Wicklow |
