Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister indicated that 95% of the population can avail of the service within 50 km but that leaves approximately 250,000 people who are outside of that range who predominantly live in rural areas. There has been a reduction in the number of centres from 55 to 34. The vast majority of the centres that have been closed are in rural communities, which is the reason people were waiting for up to four and a half hours last week in the Parkway shopping centre in Limerick.

When he discusses the issue with the RSA I urge the Minister to bear in mind the number of people who are driving without a current licence due to tractors and cars being taken off the road. Currently, a significant number of motor taxation issues arise over and above the issue of driver licences. Perhaps the timing of the introduction of the new system is inopportune. The reason I raised the substantive issue is the need for outreach services in rural areas in particular due to the coverage of offices. I did not say people had to go to the local authority in which they live but I made the point that the distance between Limerick and Tralee is more than 110 km and the people living in that corridor alone are at a significant disadvantage compared to somebody living in Leopardstown. I urge the Government to examine the issue, in particular in light of the number of unoccupied local authority offices around the country. That will especially be a factor given the local government Bill to provide for the abolition of town councils when a raft of offices around the country will not have a purpose. I encourage the RSA to examine the use of such offices rather than engaging in an expensive lease agreement.

I welcome the fact that the offices will be open on Saturdays and at lunch time. It begs the question of why other public services do not operate to the same level of efficiency. If the service provided by the RSA currently is up to scratch why does it have a manual booking system and is it considering the possibility of introducing an online booking system? Surely be to God that underlines the fact that the offices as currently constituted are under-resourced and under-staffed to deal with the volume of applications received. I urge that my concerns would be relayed to the RSA.

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