Mr. Sam Waide:

I thank the committee for the invitation to speak and for the opportunity to hear the views of members as public representatives. I recognise that today’s session is focused on services provided by the Road Safety Authority, in particular, the ongoing frustration regarding driving test wait times and the wider customer experience. I acknowledge and apologise to members and their constituents for that frustration from the outset. This is not a situation any of us consider acceptable and I welcome this dialogue as a chance to outline the actions we have been taking to address these challenges and improve the service we provide to the public.

For many people driving is not a luxury. It is a requirement for employment, education and caring responsibilities among others. At a national level, mobility is an economic enabler, a public service and a vital component of rural and urban cohesion. Safe mobility is at the heart of everything we do. We are steadfast in our dedication to reduce the average waiting time for the driving test service to ten weeks or lower by early September 2025, as committed to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and as outlined in our driver testing action plan, shared in recent weeks and available to the public. This is not just a target; it is a national imperative, one the RSA is fully committed to delivering on. Key measures within the plan being delivered and deployed include accelerated recruitment and training of testers, additional training facilities for that training, expanded testing capacity through greater operating hours, enhanced overtime programmes making better and greater use of the testers we have and improved slot allocation, targeting availability where it is most needed across the country.

To understand the current pressures, it is important to provide context specifically with regard to the demand for tests. The volume of driving tests delivered by the RSA has risen steadily and steeply over the past four years, from 157,000 in 2021 to more than 253,000 in 2024. That represents an increase of circa 61% in testing volume across that timeframe. Demand has been driven by factors such as a growing population, delayed demand from the post-pandemic, inward migration, a growing economy and reliance on personal transport in areas where public infrastructure is less accessible.

Following receipt of sanction from Government, the RSA embarked on a large-scale recruitment campaign to hire and train additional driver testers. This is a time- and resource-intensive process. and we will go into that in detail. It involved reviewing 1,400 applicants across the country, more than 740 interviews, 200 practical driving assessments, Garda vetting and reference checks for those being onboarded as well as seven weeks of structured training and on-the-road evaluation for successful candidates. It is worth noting that diverting experienced staff to support this process has had a knock-on effect on existing capacity. However, this was necessary, not only to resolve the immediate backlog, but to future proof the service against volatility in demand.

It is important to recognise that the delivery of this action plan is only possible because of the shared determination and professionalism of our staff with support from our unions. From driver testers on the front line working with learning candidates, to our call centre and administrative staff, to the teams and managers scheduling the tests and responding to applicant queries and logistics, each of those individuals plays a key role. To ensure transparency and public accountability, the RSA is publishing the action plan on our website tracking the key metrics we are confident we will deliver to restore the service. As of 31 May 2025, the average national waiting time for a driving test stood at 20.6 weeks, down from a projected 27 weeks at the end of April. While there is still a considerable journey ahead to get to the ten-week service level agreement by September, we are encouraged by the early indicators of that delivery.

The Road Safety Authority holds statutory responsibility for the oversight, development and quality assurance of the national car testing service. Over the past 25 years, the NCT has been a cornerstone of Ireland’s road safety infrastructure, helping to ensure that vehicles on the roads meet essential safety and environmental standards. The service is delivered through a nationwide network of 50 test centres, and expansion to additional locations is actively under way. In 2024, more than 1.7 million vehicles were tested, an increase of 144,000 compared with 2023, reflecting both rising vehicle volumes and sustained public compliance. As of last week, the national average waiting time was 14 days. This is driven by the fallout of some closures during the service’s busiest period in quarter 1 and the operational capacity of the service. Over the past month the service has been below the service level average of 12 days on occasions and the service is expected to achieve 12 days by the end of June. Our clear expectation is that the service is consistently accessible, timely, and delivered to the highest quality. Where issues do arise, they are addressed through robust governance structures with regular performance reviews, escalation mechanisms and continuous improvement measures in place with the provider. At previous meetings of the transport committee, frustration at delays in NCT testing were voiced by many members. We have worked hard with our delivery partner to bring the waiting time back in line with our service level agreement in 2024 and we are currently piloting recommendations made by this committee with the service provider, and we welcome the interest and support of this committee throughout. It is important to reinforce that the NCT is designed as a periodic roadworthiness check - a snapshot in time. It is not a substitute for regular maintenance or mechanical diagnostics. As such, we continue to emphasise the responsibility of all vehicle owners to ensure their vehicle is presented in a safe and roadworthy condition for testing.

Last year, 174 people died in road collisions in Ireland, a stark reminder that road safety continues to affect families in many ways. It requires constant vigilance, long-term investment and shared responsibility across society. While today’s focus is rightly on how we deliver services, I emphasise that every part of our work is ultimately about protecting and saving lives. As CEO, I am appreciative of the commitment shown every day by my staff in the RSA and our delivery partners. We care deeply about our purpose and we are committed to delivering high-quality, responsive and relevant services. I am joined by Brendan Walsh, chief operations officer and Alison Coleman, director of people development and culture. My two colleagues have led the delivery of an expanded driver testing service. We know that this committee has legitimate concerns, as do the public and many Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas. We are here to address those questions and concerns today. We welcome the opportunity to engage with the committee and to explain in detail the steps we are taking and the reasons we are confident that those steps will restore the service.