Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising these important questions. All Deputies in this House will have been contacted by constituents asking when this vital service will be brought back online. I am answering questions on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. She sends her apologies.

Driving tests for essential workers will continue to be the priority for the driving test service. In line with the gradual reopening of services, driving tests for all those who are eligible to take the test and those who have been waiting longest will recommence in a limited fashion from late May. The further opening of the driver testing service will be the subject of discussions between Department of Transport officials and the Road Safety Authority in the coming weeks.

Due to the suspension of driver testing services in the initial pandemic response, along with the health protocols required since the resumption of services, a significant backlog has developed. RSA driver testers are undertaking driving tests in extraordinarily difficult conditions, in an enclosed space where physical distancing is not possible. Testers are also moving between vehicles provided by test candidates, which are not controllable work environments. The Department of Transport is liaising with the RSA on an ongoing basis to meet the growing demand for tests.

An additional 40 driver testers have been authorised, along with 36 who were approved for retention or rehire in 2020. Deputy Michael Collins asked whether additional test centres can be put on line, and they will be. The RSA is making good progress in recruiting these additional testers and they are expected to be conducting tests by the end of June 2021. The Department and the RSA will monitor what impact the new testers are having as they come on stream and the Covid-19 restriction level reduces. Further recruitment, if necessary, is being discussed. The health of the public and the testers must take priority, and, as a result, it is important to recognise that it will take time to get driver testing waiting times back to normal pre-Covid-19 levels.

Regarding driver theory tests, this is not an essential service and remains closed. In the meantime, the RSA is engaging with its service provider to examine ways of increasing the number of tests for when services resume. The aim is to increase capacity at all test centres to cater for additional appointments. Pre-pandemic capacity was approximately 15,000 tests per month. When the service is allowed to reopen, the aim is to provide approximately 50,000 tests per month. This would make substantial inroads into the backlog. A pilot online driver theory test is under way for trucks and buses. The roll-out of this option to theory tests for cars is planned to begin during May 2021, with up to 3,000 online car theory tests being conducted per month. There will be a limit on the number of customers who can avail of the service during the initial roll-out phase, but work is ongoing to make online services more widely available towards the end of 2021.

As part of the broader easing of restrictions across Irish society, I am happy to confirm that the gradual reopening of the driver instruction industry will commence from 10 May. Initial basic training, IBT, the course of mandatory lessons that learner motorcyclists must complete with an approved driver instructor, ADI, will resume for all learners from that date, regardless of employment status. Essential driver training, EDI, for cars may also resume from 10 May, but this will only be in circumstances where the learner in question is a confirmed essential worker. This cohort will be required to download and complete a self-declaration from the RSA website, which they must then present to the instructor before starting lessons. The RSA will also reopen the online EDT portal on 10 May to allow instructors to upload completed modules for the learners in question. The RSA has issued a formal communication regarding these changes to ADIs across the country via the ADI stakeholder forum.

The gradual reopening of services will not immediately solve the backlogs in the driver theory test, driver test and driving lessons. Every possible measure is being put in place to ensure that the maximum number of customers can be served, while public health guidance is strictly adhered to.

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