Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion, which was put forward by the Rural Independent Group. Like most other Deputies, we get emails and calls from people on this issue on a regular basis and it is a huge source of frustration. People want to regularise themselves when it comes to driving on the public roads. Some people want to drive to work and more and more want to drive to college, and the housing disaster is part of that. People also want to drive to things like leisure, sports and so on where no other option is open to them, so it is essential that they are fully compliant by being deemed competent to hold a full licence. That has to be made possible for these people.

I read through the motion and I noted that Longford has the shortest waiting time for a driving test at 18 weeks. That is over four months. I checked the Naas test centre, which I do reasonably regularly, and the estimated best-case scenario that you can expect to wait for an invitation to book a category B driving test at present, and this is assuming you join the waiting list today and are eligible to sit the test, is 23 June 2024. Following that, when you select from the appointment slots over the following three to five weeks, it could be the August bank holiday weekend before a test is secured next year. That is just not on. This issue, like others such as the NCT waiting times for example, is not new or a surprise. It demonstrates a complete lack of urgency and shows no regard for workforce planning and resourcing public services. At this stage we have almost created an industry of crisis management. We create the crisis and then work back from it, rather than prevent it from occurring in the first place.

The current increase in demand for driving tests and the time to invitation to book a test appointment for learner drivers has, as I understand it, a number of contributing factors, which include an increase in learner permits in circulation, which has grown by about 30% since quarter 3 of 2019. So there really is no excuse for this situation; it was well flagged.

The date was there. This issue should have been seen coming a mile away and planned for. I have repeatedly asked the Minister what will be done about it. I know from responses to parliamentary questions and from making direct representations to the RSA that the service has been under significant pressure to meet unprecedented demand, which is up by 28% on 2021 figures and 27% on 2018 figures, which was before the Covid-19 pandemic. We are a long way past using Covid-19 as an excuse at this stage.

I asked about plans to reduce the number of people on a third or subsequent consecutive learner permit. The Department and the RSA are considering a range of measures to ensure that learner permit holders sit a driving test before they can obtain a subsequent permit. That option has to be available to them. What was considered? The permit system is bursting at the seams. I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, to respond to that point in her reply.

Earlier this year when I asked about the plans to meet demand, I was told that the RSA had reviewed the capacity of the driver testing service to meet demand and following a request for additional resources in March 2023, the Department gave approval for the recruitment of up to 75 additional driver testers. How many testers have been recruited to date? How many are now fully trained? Where are they being assigned? We also need clarity as to whether the additional testers will be assigned to fill current vacancies or will boost the existing staffing complement. It would be useful if the Minister of State could indicate how many testers have left or resigned their positions. We have to consider that point if we are looking at the totality of the service.

I was also told at the time that the backlog for driver testing services would start to reduce from October 2023 and agreed service levels should resume by early to mid-2024. According to the response of the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, earlier, there is no evidence of that. There has even been talk of that target being pushed back again.

To really emphasise that there are real-life consequences for not being able to obtain a driving test for a full driver's licence, I have come across cases where employers have issued letters of intent to hire a person but such persons cannot take up their employment because they cannot access a driving test in a timely manner. One case with which my office tried to assist involved a person on jobseeker's benefit who was struggling to get a job without a full driver's licence. The person had been offered two positions at that point with a condition that he or she had a full driver's licence but, ultimately, had to decline the positions. This is unacceptable. That is a missed and potentially life-changing opportunity for the person in question.

What is the number of no-shows for driver testing this year? I understand that a process change introduced in 2020 brought the number of no-shows down from in excess of 24,000 to 4,100 in 2022. That is to be welcomed. We must be imaginative about what can be done. In 2019, there were no-shows in 11% of cases. The relevant figure for 2020 was 9% and it reduced to 2% thereafter. The change was that people were allowed to pick their own slots rather than having a slot allocated.

Clearly, in some areas people are looking for driver permits because the public transport system is not working. That is not exclusive to rural areas. A good part of the area I represent is provided with a Dublin Bus service. It is known as the commuter belt but some of the changes with Bus Connects have put people back in their cars. If there is going to be investment, it has to meet the needs of people where they are.

When there is sanction for additional driver testers and people apply and are approved, are we looking at the geography of the situation? People who are approved to take up those positions may not be able to do so because of the cost of housing in certain areas. Does the RSA consider where vacancies need to be filled before jobs are offered and people are trained? Being mobile is very often essential for people because they cannot reside in the places they want to reside in as a result of the cost of housing. That is the issue that goes to the heart of an awful lot of our problems.

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