Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party) | Oireachtas source

This is taxpayer's money. Now have a delay of up to six months in places for young people to get their driving test. We have people who are following the rules that were legislated for. They do their theory test, get their 12 lessons and then they have to wait six months to get on the road. That comes back to being the Government's problem. The Government should be responsible for the six-month delay for a driving test. That means there has to be accountability.

Let us look at fuel prices at the moment, which it is said, will soar up to €2 per litre shortly. The Government is taking €1 per litre of that but there is no accountability for the tax the Government takes. There is no accountability for the failure of the RSA to deliver driving tests on time, yet we have people all over Ireland trying to get to work or college, and there is no transport because of someone's failure. The same people are failing all the time and there is no accountability. They keep their jobs. How can the Government create anything to go forward if it cannot even correct the problems of the past? Accountability is what it comes down to. They are not only letting us down; they are letting the Government down. When will the fist come down and say: "We want you to deliver. If you cannot deliver, get out of the position you are in"? I have said this more than once today, there is no accountability for anyone who cannot deliver. All I can guarantee is that the Government will take excess taxes from everyone even though it cannot deliver. I ask the Minister of State to stand up and make them accountable; if they cannot deliver move them and the Government should subsidise the people who are waiting for tests.

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