Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will refer the Deputy's comments to the RSA and ask is there any case for that at all. I suspect that the RSA will respond by saying that the efforts it is making at present are adequate. I note that Cork is high up on the list of average waiting times. At 16 weeks, it stands in ninth or tenth position in a fairly long list. It is well above the average waiting time. I will ask the RSA to bear that in mind also.

The Deputy quotes a fair number of hard cases and I am sure he is correct in every case. I remind him, though, that a driving applicant may, if he or she wishes, seek an appointment at a different test centre should there not be a suitable appointment at his or her preferred centre. It may be inconvenient, but it is open to an applicant to apply to any centre at all.

6 o’clock

Some have average waiting times that are much lower than the Cork one. They go right down to 7.2 weeks. With regard to those people who are seeking urgent appointments, I am assured by the RSA there is a priority list whereby cancelled test appointments are made available for such applicants. Over 1,000 tests are cancelled by driver test applicants weekly and these slots are subsequently offered to applicants who require urgent test appointments.

My Department has also asked the RSA to examine the longer term staffing needs of the driver tester service to ensure that the RSA can plan for revision of tester numbers based on demand for tests and to better manage succession planning for driver testers who may retire. The RSA and I accept that current waiting times remain too high but I am assured the measures it has put in place will have the desired effect of reducing waiting times for the public.

I will draw to the attention of the RSA the particular case for Cork as made by the Deputy.

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