Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The RSA is setting a very low ambition rate. The authority should be trying to get to a point where it can do tests within two weeks, quite frankly, because ultimately when one brings it down to that level, the RSA will need the same amount of people to do the tests. If the RSA sets the bar at ten weeks then it is the same number of people who are required if one sets it at two weeks. The RSA also needs to have a greater number of temporary staff to cater for a surge in demand at certain times of the year. To address the kind of situation that we have, the authority needs a more flexible pool of testers. Of course, it needs the standard group who are there all of the time on full-time contracts but the job lends itself to having part-time staff appropriately trained that can be brought on at relatively short notice. I ask the RSA to give consideration to this matter.

I wish to check an aspect of the authority's overall operation.

People who wanted to change from a British driving licence to an Irish licence have had difficulty in doing this during the lockdown period. Without a public services card, they do not seem to be able to do that. Can Mr. Naughton enlighten us? Is there any way, in the current climate and without access to the offices, for someone who wants to replace a British licence with an Irish licence to do so without a public services card?