Vol. 543 No. 5
356 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the discrepancy between figures quoted by him in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 741 of 3 October 2001 and No. 368 of 16 October 2001 regarding the waiting period for driving tests and that being quoted by the driver testing section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27454/01]
The parliamentary questions about which the Deputy asks refer to the average waiting times for driving tests in Dungarvan and Waterford. The average waiting time is derived having regard to waiting times, ranging from the shortest to the longest, experienced by individual applicants over a particular period at a test centre. The waiting times that are quoted by staff members would normally be the current longest time any individual has had to wait for a test. This would be on a precautionary basis so as to let applicants know of the longest time they could expect to wait for a test. Currently 60% of all applicants, nationally, undergo a driving test within 15 weeks of applying.
