Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, it has been brought to my attention. The Deputy is on to something and I thank him for highlighting it because it has enabled me to probe the system to try to resolve the matter. As the Deputy rightly says, this is a really important step and is something people have been looking for for ages, namely, moving this thing online and saving people time and hassle in terms of having to travel and take time off work. However, there was an issue that has had to be teased through and I will get to that in a moment.

The alternative option for the renewal of a safe pass card went live on 1 February. This option allows a candidate to book a test at a designated test centre. The provision of an alternative option complements the already successful tutor-led option. The safe pass tutor-led course differs from the online option insofar as the tutor-led option is based on assessments and in-person collaboration. This was an additional option. The test-based option is self-directed and requires candidates to revise relevant material before taking a test. Candidates can access the official questions and answers booklet for free and this contains the full 500 questions and answers for the test. They also have access to self-directed learning guides under each module and additional safety videos, toolbox talks, links to legislation and codes of practice.

Since the introduction of the online renewal system, the only issue has been the failure rate in comparison with the tutor-led model. It became apparent that there was quite a significant difference in the failure rate. This issue was indicated through SOLAS’s dedicated helpline. As the alternative safe pass renewal has rolled out, evidence shows most first-time testers did not access the question bank in the question and answer booklet in advance of taking the test, and the failure rate reflected this. Not to blame the learner, feedback showed that testers were not aware of the booklet being available. In response to this, SOLAS has now increased awareness of the material available for the online model, and it has also revised some of the questioning. Recent figures now show an increase of 12% in the pass rate for first-time testers, and an increase of 39% for second-time testers. As this is a new model, projections are that the pass rate will increase as candidates become more familiar with and interact more with self-directed learning.

The establishment of the online system was developed both due to the success of the tutor-led safe pass course and the feedback from industry of the evolving needs. Industry stakeholders were consulted during the development of the online renewal model, and this will continue closely as we implement that model.

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