Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy and the Minister. The beauty of being Chair is that I can either go first or last. For some strange reason, I decided to go last today and many of my questions have been asked. It is great to have the Minister and his senior advisory team here today. He has answered questions not just on the 2025 Estimates but on those for 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030, which have yet to even be published, and many questions that have nothing to do with the Estimates. I might follow that line myself. Last week, we had the Secretary General of the Department before us along with a number of assistant secretaries and principal officers. That was really good. At the first meeting of the committee, we had a good engagement with the NTA. That was followed by a meeting with the RSA. We are meeting the Irish Road Haulage Association next week. That group is an important actor but it can be undervalued. The following week, we are to have a special session on drones. That is to be followed by the IAA the following week, before the summer recess.

Going back to the RSA and its action plan on waiting times for driving tests, I agree with the Minister that real progress is being made. I thank him and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney. We had robust engagement with the RSA on its action plan. Based on what I heard and having gone through the action plan, I am confident that we will reach capacity to undertake 7,200 tests a week by the end of September. That equates to an annual capacity of 350,000 to 360,000 tests when the forecast demand is 260,000 to 270,000 in 2026. That is really good. We should look beyond the service level agreement, which refers to ten weeks, and get the waiting period down to five or six weeks. There should be a certain number of weeks between completing the 12 compulsory lessons and taking the test. Things are positive.

I have two questions in this regard. In the unlikely event the RSA does not meet those targets, what will the consequences be for the organisation? On the issue of multiple driving licences, I presume we need to wait until September. We have that ten-week waiting period. I am talking about the 53,000 people who have had more than three provisional licences. It is my understanding that people can apply for a test but do not have to sit it and can still get a fourth licence. Where are we with that legislation?