Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

It is over a year and a half since the Minister first proposed outsourcing 40,000 tests, a meagre and timid ambition which would not have solved the problem at that time. It certainly will not work this year because each year an additional 40,000-45,000 test applications are made. Currently, approximately 130,000 people are awaiting tests. If the Minister's proposals are agreed, there is no prospect of more than 40,000-45,000 being cleared. That is the limit of the agreement mediated by Mr. Kieran Mulvey. Some 130,000 test applications will remain. The only contribution to clearing the backlog is the promise of increased productivity. Does the Minister really expect that increased productivity will clear the backlog of 130,000 people awaiting the test and reduce the waiting time to ten weeks? Even a ten-week waiting list is grossly inadequate for the systems referred to in the legislation to function. A waiting time of two weeks is required, such as exists in Britain. As Deputy Shortall states, if the measures envisaged in the legislation are announced 4,000 drivers on provisional licences will apply. How does the Minister propose to clear the backlog of 130,000 and the 45,000 applications that are made every year? The Minister's proposals have no hope. He may be able to walk off into the sunset but this problem will persist unless he increases the capacity of the current workers to do the work.

See this speech in context