Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Certainly in my own locality, yes. I think that 18 weeks is out. I answered a question on this in the Seanad yesterday. The figure I gave was an average of 8.8 weeks. I am sure the Deputy is correct. Obviously, if there is an average, some centres will be far above that level and others way below. However, without arguing about figures with the Deputy, I would say that a great improvement has been made. There is a significant increase in the number of driver testers and the waiting time has gone down. We are very pleased with that as the target was ten weeks. The 8.8 week average figure was correct as of yesterday. I acknowledge that the new law has obviously caused people who were breaking the law to adjust, that it has made life less comfortable for them and that they have had to make alternative arrangements. That is undoubtedly true. However, we are not prepared to allow learner drivers to drive cars willy-nilly and to break the law.