Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Funchion for raising this really important matter. The driver test service and the driver theory test are the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, RSA. The Department has been in constant contact with the RSA since the start of the pandemic regarding all of its services, the impact of Covid-19 on those services and how they can best be maintained in the current circumstances. As the Deputy is aware car driving tests were temporarily suspended due to Covid-19 in March 2020. Since the resumption of operations in mid July there has inevitably been an increased level of demand due to the consequent backlog. Unfortunately, due to social distancing and other public health and hygiene requirements, service capacity has had to be considerably reduced. This means that customers are experiencing longer waiting times than was the case before the service was suspended. Level 5 restrictions, which took effect for six weeks on 22 October, mean that driving tests are now only available to those who are involved in essential services, including essential retail work. While I regret the inconvenience caused, public safety must remain of paramount importance. The Road Safety Authority is currently examining ways of increasing the number of tests, within health constraints, when driver testing resumes after level 5 and is working in close consultation with the Department on this matter. This includes increasing the number of testing staff to help reduce, and over time to eliminate, the backlog. The Department has recently approved the retention by the RSA of 18 temporary driving testers whose contracts were due to expire in October and November. The RSA has also re-hired a further 18 temporary testers whose contracts expired in May. This will help to increase testing capacity when services resume. In the longer term, the Department is considering proposals by the RSA for further measures to address the backlog.

The driver theory test had not been deemed as an essential service under level 5. As a consequence the services closed effective from midnight on Wednesday, 21 October for the duration of level 5 restrictions. All appointments during that time have been rescheduled to the next available appointment date. As I am sure the Deputy is aware that theory test service was temporarily suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 emergency. When the service resumed in June there was an increased level of demand and a significant backlog developed. This was coupled with the need to reduce significantly normal daily capacity to comply with occupational and public health requirements.

When the driver theory test service closed on 21 October due to the latest restrictions, the majority of testing centres had almost full bookings up to the end of December, and some into January, as they worked their way through the initial backlog. The decision was taken by the service provider that those whose appointments were cancelled due to the latest restrictions would be rescheduled to the next available appointment date. The Road Safety Authority has advised my office it is engaging with the service provider to examine ways of increasing the number of tests within the current health constraints for when services are resumed. This will help reduce and, over time, eliminate the backlog. The Department has requested that the Road Safety Authority, as the body legally responsible for the driver theory test, examine whether theory tests can be taken online remotely and what is required to do so. I understand the authority is developing proposals in this regard but this planning is at a very early stage and it is not expected to come on stream in the immediate future.

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