Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 2: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of people who have the new learner permits driving licences; the number who will have the new learner permits by 30 June 2008; the estimate of the number of people who will still have provisional driving licences after 30 June 2008; the number of citizens currently on the driving test waiting list; the way he will ensure the Road Safety Authority's guarantee of a driving test by 30 June 2008 for all provisional driving licence holders; his target for the number of driving tests to be carried out per week over the next eight months to clear the waiting list backlog; the number of provisional driving licence holders in total who will sit their driving test by 30 June 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33023/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 5: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress that has been made in testing those on their provisional licences before 30 June 2008 since his statement on 28 October 2007; the additional resources he has committed to reach his target; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33200/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 5 together.

Responsibility for driver testing was transferred to the Road Safety Authority in September 2006, under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006. The arrangements for testing, numbers of candidates and licences are therefore a matter for that agency.

The new framework for the reform of the provisional licence system and for the changeover to a learner permit system, introduced by me in October, is the first step in a fundamental reform of arrangements for the formation and licensing of young drivers. This reform is a major element of the new road safety strategy and one which holds out the promise of a significant dividend in terms of reduced deaths and injuries in this most vulnerable category of young drivers.

Following the changes to the driver licensing laws for learner drivers which were introduced in October this year, both I and the RSA have confirmed that all 122,000 applicants on the waiting list at the end of that month will have been tested by early March 2008 and that by the end of June 2008 all applicants for a driving test will be able to get a test on demand, that is, within a ten-week period. This does not mean there will be no waiting list at the end of June 2008.

I have also requested that the RSA ensure that all 120,000 people who were holders of second provisional licences at the time the changes were introduced in October will have been offered a test before the end of June 2008. As we know, from that time, these drivers will be required to be accompanied by a qualified driver, a requirement which applies to all other learner drivers in any event. The national vehicle and driver file, NVDF, section of my Department, based in Shannon, is directly assisting the RSA in this objective.

Since its establishment in September 2006, the RSA has introduced a number of measures to reduce driving test waiting times, including contracting SGS Limited to provide additional driving tests on its behalf. Over the last year or so, the average waiting time for a test has come down by about one third and the RSA continues to drive that waiting time down. Additional testers have been recruited by SGS Ireland, the first cohort of which have commenced training in recent days. A large number of applicants responded to the SGS recruitment campaign and SGS is confident it will find significant numbers suitable for rapid training and deployment. The RSA and SGS will ensure that these additional testers come on stream between now and next March. At that time, the capacity of the testing service in terms of numbers tested per week will have increased by approximately two thirds.

I confirm that the RSA has carefully examined the pattern of application and pass rates, and has taken into account the significant spike in applications which has occurred in recent weeks, but which is tailing off. Having considered all factors, the RSA continues to believe that the undertakings given will be honoured.

As regards the issue of resources, the amount of funding to be made available to the RSA in 2008 amounts to €39.8 million, which includes an additional amount of €11 million to help address the driving test waiting list in 2008.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The RSA stated a few days ago that it would publish a guarantee that all second provisional licence holders would be given a test by 30 June but since then there has been no word or publication to that effect. I note that the Minister is shifting responsibility carefully, once again, on to the Road Safety Authority.

Yesterday, the Minister provided an additional €11 million in the budget, but the Budget Statement states, in the section on transport, that the target date of ten weeks will be achieved at the end of 2008. Therefore, there is a discrepancy between what the Minister told the House in his speech on the Financial Resolution a few minutes ago and what he told the House in response to this question.

Given the considerable public interest in this and that he is Minister for Transport, I do not see why he cannot give details of facts and figures on the numbers of testers and tests. Is it not still the case that around the country there is a significant backlog of waiting times for tests? For example, I note that in Athlone, Skibbereen and Raheny in my constituency, the waiting time is still 28 weeks. In Clifden, County Galway, people face an astonishing wait of 39 weeks for a test. In Wicklow town, the waiting time is 29 weeks. Is this not astonishing, five weeks after the Minister's incredible faux pas at the Hallowe'en break?

On the testing that has been carried out, there seems be an incredible discrepancy between the percentage of applicants passed by testers of the Road Safety Authority and by testers of the contractor company, SGS. I understand SGS, for example, has an average pass rate of 62%, which ranges from 58% in Drogheda to 64% in Naas, 78% in Charleville and 81% and 84%, respectively, in Nenagh and Cahir, whereas the pass rate in the RSA centre in Carlow, for example, is only 42%. The Minister will be aware that the Comptroller and Auditor General drew attention to the regional discrepancy in testing a couple of years ago. Does this concern the Minister?

Mr. Bobby Dunphy, from the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's constituency, contacted the media last week about concerns relating to the standard of testing. Given that the number waiting for a test shot up to 158,000 and the number of provisional licence holders is approaching 500,000, can the Minister guarantee that everybody on a second or subsequent provisional driving licence who wants to do a test will have been tested by 30 June because that is the matter for which this House will hold him responsible?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It would suit Deputy Broughan to hold me responsible for something which I did not promise but I am not going down that route with him.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister just made a promise.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Neither am I shifting responsibility to the RSA. The RSA has had responsibility for this since it was set up.

On the question about facts and figures which Deputy Broughan requested, I do not make decisions about parliamentary questions, nor do I make the rules up in this regard. If Deputy Broughan wants those facts and figures, I found, even before I came into this job, that the RSA is more than obliging in providing as much information as possible to Members of this House and that is the route to go.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

This is Dáil Éireann.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are long waiting lists——

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

On a point of information, the Labour Party had approximately seven questions ruled out and it is not acceptable to hear this kind of guff.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

If Deputy Broughan allows the Minister to conclude his reply, I will get an opportunity to call him again. The Minister, without interruption.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

We do not have a monopoly on guff here. If you give it, I will give it back to you, do not worry.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister started it.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I would be obliged if the Minister would refer through the Chair and not engage with any individual Member.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I would not engage in guff with the Chair.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Deputy Broughan's final point about the waiting list is true and nobody has ever tried to deny it. The waiting lists in various areas are published. That is why we are strengthening the RSA. That is why we took in the contractors. The Department's testers within the system have responded magnificently to the commitments the RSA has put in place to deliver on these, and they have increased their output. I acknowledge that and I acknowledge the trade union for being so co-operative. My commitments, which I outlined in my answer to Deputy Broughan, are ones that we can stand over and no doubt the RSA and the testers will deliver on them.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Recently, I received a report of tests being cancelled in Raheny where people, who had test appointments and were ready to go, were notified by telephone that no tester was available. There may be an issue with that.

I agree with Deputy Broughan. While the Minister has accepted this mammoth task of meeting his deadline of 30 June, at the same time a question to his Department has been disallowed in respect of the standards of testers and the pass rates. The Minister should be responsible for the efficiency and effectiveness of those tests and the differences that arise between the RSA testers and the SGS. I will give three examples. In Finglas and Fonthill in Dublin, where the RSA and the SGS tested approximately 5,000 applicants each, the pass rate is 18% higher with SGS, which is a significant difference. In Limerick, where slightly fewer people were tested by SGS and 3,500 were tested by RSA, the difference in the pass rate is 19%. In Naas, where the RSA pass rate is 50%, the SGS pass rate is 14% higher. Allowing for the fact that there may be reasons that the SGS is getting applicants who would be longer on the list and longer waiting to get their tests initially, and who would therefore have had more driving experience, nevertheless, this variation is a matter of deep concern.

I spoke to the Road Safety Authority and I acknowledge that it is extremely helpful, but I am still concerned. I ask the Minister to discuss the matter with the RSA. There must be accountability to the Minister and, through him, to us on this testing issue. It may appear to some that a person going to the SGS rather than to the RSA has a much better chance of passing and that is not acceptable. We need the Minister to be accountable here for those issues.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Constituents of mine have had tests cancelled. It happens occasionally. A driver tester may not know he or she requires sick leave until the last minute and people must be contacted. There are a variety of circumstances where a test must be cancelled. What Deputy O'Dowd outlined in the case of Raheny has happened in other test centres but it is not a general practice.

On the questions that have been disallowed, I wrote to a number of Deputies who raised this matter with me. From recollection and reading through written parliamentary questions, I thought the matter was allowed.

The matter was raised by me with the RSA, which replied stating that it is satisfied that there is no great discrepancy. When one looks at the overall pass figures around the country, there is no imbalance between them. If I understand correctly what the RSA stated, the SGS sample to date is a small one. The RSA will obviously keep the matter under review, as I will.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I did not get a chance this morning to raise this with the Ceann Comhairle, but the Leas-Cheann Comhairle also has an intense interest in Dáil reform. Approximately seven questions on a variety of matters such as PPPs in transport were ruled out. These are matters one would think are this Minister's responsibility.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

If the Deputy sends them to my office, I will ensure the Ceann Comhairle receives them.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Given that 40,000 people are on their fifth provisional licence, is the Minister sure that all those at the top end of the provisional licence scale will be in a position to undergo a test by 30 June and how emphatic is he about that deadline?

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the Minister's commitment to keep the testing rate, as between the RSA and SGS, under review. When he has a definitive response to it, will he circulate correspondence on it?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

We have confirmed that all 122,000 applicants who were on the waiting list at the end of October, when we made the changes, will have been tested by early March 2008, presuming they all turn up. They have been offered a driving test, to be completed by March 2008. All applicants for a test will be able to get a test on demand — that is, within a ten-week period — by the end of June 2008.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

How many tests will be held each week at that stage?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Approximately 10,000 tests will be held each week at that stage.