Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have a representation on behalf of an applicant for a driving test in Clonmel. The response to the person's query states that the application has been reviewed, that the person applied on 3 September, requested a test centre in Clonmel, and the waiting list in Clonmel is currently 18 weeks. It states that, based on the estimator tool, the person replying expects the applicant to receive her invitation to book a test in the week commencing 9 January. This system has been made complicated. She applied and waited four months to be asked to apply again to this list. I have figures from a reply to a parliamentary question as follows: 450 customers were not eligible, 240 had dates, 590 customers had applications currently paused and 430 customers currently did not meet the eligibility criteria for a test. This has become so convoluted. People cannot just apply for their test and get a date. I know there is a delay. There is a shortage of testers in Clonmel. I know recruitment is underway. Why do all these systems have to be so complicated? People have to apply and then reapply four months later. We are supposed to be streamlining these issues but they have become more archaic and difficult. They have been slowed enormously.

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