Vol. 541 No. 2
741 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the average waiting time for a driving test in Dungarvan, County Waterford; the number of applicants awaiting tests at this centre; and if he will ensure that a full-time driver tester is appointed in Dungarvan without further delay. [22220/01]
The average waiting time for a driving test at the Dungarvan driving test centre is ten weeks, the target waiting time in my Department's customer service action plan. As of 24 September 2001, 736 applicants were on the waiting list, of whom 309 had test appointments, 129 were not available for test and 298 were awaiting a test date. Over the past year the equivalent of one full-time tester per week has been scheduled for testing duties at the Dungarvan centre and this has had the effect of reducing the average waiting time to ten weeks. My Department does not, however, consider it necessary or in the interests of the wider efficiency of the service to assign a driver tester permanently to Dungarvan on a full-time basis.
