Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)

I am very grateful to Deputy Murphy for raising this issue. The Minister of State, Deputy Canney, would also like to thank him for raising this matter and he looks forward to continuing a very close working relationship, given the Deputy's role as Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport.

The Department of Transport is committed, under action 7B of the road safety strategy phase 2 action plan, to addressing the issue of learner drivers with multiple successive learner permits and, in particular, those who have never taken a practical test. In 2019, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, made proposals on reducing the number of multiple subsequent learner permit holders. However, with Covid-19, driver testing shut down and was then greatly restricted, leading from 2023 on to significantly longer waiting times for tests. Accordingly, there was not sufficient capacity to cope with the additional initial demand for testing that might arise from these measures. As alluded to by the Deputy already, the average waiting time for a B car test is now ten weeks, a significant improvement on the 27-week average in April and a return to the service level agreement target. There is now no barrier in testing capacity to the introduction of these changes.

We know, however, from RSA data that a significant number of learners renew their permits for many years without ever taking a test, rather than going through the learning process and becoming qualified drivers. As of September 2025, nearly 63,000 people, or 19% of all learners, have renewed their car permits three or more times. Of those 63,000 learners, 60%, or nearly 38,000, have never taken a driving test.

Under this proposal, a learner, after holding a permit for four years, must take a practical test before renewing their permit. For most learners, this will be for their third permit. After seven years, the learner, to continue learning to drive, begins the process again - theory test, learner permit, 12 essential driver-training lessons and the practical test. A learner permit is not a driver licence. It allows the holder to drive on public roads, accompanied by a qualified driver, while learning to drive. Until a learner completes the process and becomes a qualified driver, they cannot be judged safe to drive unaccompanied on public roads. As learners may not currently drive on public roads unaccompanied, these changes will not affect the independence or mobility of any learners who comply with road traffic law, including older and rural learners.

The learning-to-drive process sets out the knowledge, skill and competency needed to become a licensed driver. These changes will improve road safety by encouraging learners to become qualified drivers and not remain in the learning process. It is considered that seven years is more than enough time for the vast majority of learners to achieve this.

The Minister of State, Deputy Canney, intends to sign the regulations for these changes very shortly. The RSA will then contact those directly affected with information on the changes. The Minister of State remains extremely grateful to the Deputy for raising this in the Chamber this morning.

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