Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)

I know the Taoiseach will be familiar with the huge work that is being done on reducing the waiting times for driver tests. However, I need to draw his attention to the clumsy way AXA Insurance and the Road Safety Authority have combined to cause learner drivers to fail their test, resulting in them having to wait an extra 15-20 weeks. AXA has issued black insurance discs, not the green ones we are familiar with, and the RSA fails people presenting for a test with a black insurance disc, puts them back on the waiting list again for 15-20 weeks and charges them €80 for it. AXA offered to pay for the retests but it is a ridiculous situation. It is bad enough that young drivers had to wait so long to get the tests in the first instance but to be put back in the queue again through no fault of their own is not acceptable.

There is a practical approach or solution: AXA could simply issue correct certificates to all affected drivers and, in the meantime, the RSA should not fail those drivers presenting for a test with the wrong disc but, rather, reschedule their tests for the following week. This is a real option. It would involve a bit of co-ordination between the RSA and AXA but it would make more sense than putting people back on a waiting list.

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