David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I invite the Minister to go online, enter a car registration number and see what appointment date he is given. We did it this morning and noticed waiting periods of four months and three and half months in two test centres in my part of the country. In other areas, we were given the date of mid-February. Averages are averages but I am interested in individual areas where there are spikes and considerable demand. Our research this morning does not confirm what the Minister just said, unfortunately. Perhaps I am missing something.

People are now being urged to apply for their test 90 days in advance. This indicates there is considerable pressure on the online system. This means some test centres are working very hard and doing great work. This is essential and I am not in any way saying it is not but I am saying certain people are under pressure to have a test done on time and to obtain a valid certificate. If their cars are not tested on time, they must take them off the road or ring up to try to get an emergency date. An emergency date might not suit because people may be at work or otherwise, as the Minister knows.

I invite the Minister to get his officials to check individual test centres around the country to determine the online position of each of them. In some, the waiting period might be a number of days but I know from the information I gleaned this morning that the waiting periods in some are months. A very close friend of mine applied on 27 October and received a date of 26 January. I saw the documentation and know that is exactly the case.

This is an important issue. If it cannot be resolved and long delays continue to obtain, will the Minister consider being lenient in the shorter term towards people who apply in good faith and are given a date way beyond the expiry date of their certificate? They apply in good faith but cannot have their vehicles tested on time.

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