Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The waiting time for a driving test in Meath is disgraceful. The Government has been warned about it for years. Many people are waiting for up to 35 weeks and in some cases even longer to do their driving test. This is completely unacceptable. Navan has the longest waiting list in the country, with an estimated waiting time of 35 weeks for a driving test, with some people waiting even longer. We now have 72,414 people trapped in limbo. This is an alarming increase of more than 60% since 2022. In just three months, the backlog has grown by nearly 10,000. Not a single driver test centre is meeting the statutory maximum waiting time of ten weeks. Learners are being forced to wait six months or more, with some waiting up to eight months. The repercussions of this backlog are devastating and far-reaching. People of all ages have had to turn down job offers and college places because they cannot obtain a full driving licence, which is often essential for employment and education. Imagine being qualified and ready to work only to be held back by an inefficient system.

Students are left stranded and unable to get to college due to a public transport system that cannot meet their needs. How many potential workers are we losing when they are eager to contribute but simply cannot drive because of the lengthy driving test waiting lists? For example, those who wish to return from America face a lengthy wait in obtaining a full licence. The issue could be resolved with a simple bilateral agreement which would allow people to exchange their American licence for an Irish one. This is a straightforward solution and could facilitate the return of skilled individuals. We already have similar agreements with other countries such as Canada, France and Germany. The Taoiseach spoke earlier about the diaspora and the undocumented. This is his chance to do something. We are crying out for construction and healthcare workers. We need to make it easier for returning emigrants.

The recent allocation for road improvements is a drop in the ocean compared to what is truly needed. It is clear that these funds will not cover the urgent repairs essential for the safety of drivers. Government TDs should be ashamed of themselves. The people of Meath pay almost €60 million per year in motor tax. We need immediate action. The Government needs to acknowledge its responsibility. It must expedite the recruitment of permanent driving test instructors, end the overreliance on temporary staff and conduct a thorough review of the RSA's capacity to manage this crisis. We need more driver test centres and a strategic plan to ensure we achieve the statutory waiting time of ten weeks and less. I feel sorry for the many workers who contact me having missed out on job opportunities because of this backlog. They deserve a system that works for them. Under the watchful eye of Government, the RSA was quick to increase prices, but slow to improve services.

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