Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I recognise that the Minister of State is standing in for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

We have reached a crisis point in the issuing of driver licences. Last October responsibility transferred from local authorities to the National Driver Licensing Service, NDLS, under the auspices of the Road Safety Authority, RSA. At that stage it was clear that significant delays had built up at the start of the process of issuing replacement or new driver licenses. At the time I refrained from public comment because I felt that a new agency would inevitably have teething problems and should be given an appropriate length of time to resolve whatever teething problems might exist. The situation has, however, gone from bad to worse. Over the past couple of months the waiting time has gradually lengthened and people are very frustrated.

Many of our young citizens have unfortunately had to travel outside the country to find work. They are in Australia, the Middle East, the United States and many other countries. Most of them require driver licences in those countries. Some come home expecting to have their driver licenses renewed or replaced within a normal holiday period. That is not happening. The waiting time is now close to eight weeks. It is really frustrating for the people concerned. They have to leave an application form here and do not have a licence when they return to the country where they work. People going on holidays who need their driver licences renewed cannot hire a car. This is having a real impact on the lives of many citizens at home and abroad. I am not sure why it is happening. I hope the Minister of State can give some indication today of the reasons for the delay, but, more important, I want to hear from the Minister of State, on behalf of the Government, what solution it proposes to ensure these delays are brought to an end at the earliest possible opportunity.

I am not jumping on a bandwagon, and never have done so in respect of this issue. I accepted the need to allow a bedding-in process for the new service provider to get its act together, get its systems in place and operational, and then resolve any outstanding glitches in the system. We are well past that stage now. From October 2013 to almost the end of February 2014 is far beyond the timeframe one would expect for a resolution of the problem.

I appeal to the Minister of State to communicate the concerns of this House to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and to put an action plan in place if the Government does not already have one. People are extremely frustrated. They are contacting Deputies’ offices throughout the country in the expectation that we can somehow involve ourselves in the process. That is not the right thing to do. It would be wrong for us to try to help people jump the queue. There are acute circumstances in which calls will be made to the NDLS, but that is not good enough. The system needs to deliver better than that. The expectation was that there would be a more uniform approach, a better system for our citizens. That does not seem to be the case. Unless the Government can resolve the issue without delay, people will suffer further annoyance and discomfort.

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, I thank Deputy Dooley for raising this issue.

Following a Government decision in May 2011, the RSA was given responsibility for the operation of a centralised driver licensing service. In preparation for the introduction of the new plastic card licences, the RSA became the sole licensing authority for the country with effect from January 2013. The RSA operates the service through the NDLS, which comprises a central unit in the RSA and three outsourced contractors: a card producer for the plastic card licence, a front office to engage with the public, and a back office to process applications. This service came into operation from 29 October 2013.

There have been problems with the speed of processing applications in the NDLS since the system came on stream. The Minister has had regular discussions with the acting CEO of the RSA regarding the difficulties people have experienced and how the RSA proposed to address them. The RSA acknowledged that there were teething problems when the service opened. Some were technical and systems issues, while others related to new staff becoming familiar with the rules and processes around driving licences and permits. However, the system is improving.

The RSA responded by increasing resources in NDLS centres experiencing delays, as well as in the licence processing centre, and providing further training to staff. There are no major technical difficulties now affecting the service. A booking system to allow for customers to make appointments has been operating in a pilot phase, which was successful. This system is currently in use in Dublin, Cork and Tullamore, and is being extended on a phased basis to all NDLS offices.

In number terms, of the 150,804 applications received since 29 October, 124,688 licences have been issued. Dealing with what the NDLS regards as problem applications is taking longer. These are cases in which the application is incomplete or further information or documentation is needed to process the application. This involves contacting the customer, and finalisation of these applications is taking several weeks.

The NDLS is on track to have a ten-day turnaround by the end of February and a five- to eight-day turnaround by the end of March, which would be a major resolution of the problem. There is, as the RSA acknowledges, a backlog within the system, including problem applications, which must now be prioritised to ensure that customers get speedy contact from the NDLS to advise that there is an issue requiring resolution.

It is evident that there are significant numbers of customers who attend at NDLS centres without getting their application processed because they have incomplete or incorrect documentation. Some of this arises because there is a tighter ID regime in place than before the NDLS, in line with the SAFE 2 standard. The RSA is carrying out an on-the-spot survey over the next two weeks at several large NDLS centres to determine the exact nature of the problem. This may reveal that the information provided to customers on the application form or supporting documentation is not clear or complete or is unnecessarily complex or contradictory. The RSA will act quickly on the outcome of that survey if it suggests that changes need to be introduced. The Minister has asked me to convey to the House that he is continuing to monitor progress, but that overall he is satisfied that the RSA has taken appropriate actions to address the problems that have arisen.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I recognise the bona fides of the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, in this regard. I have no doubt that he has been in contact with the Road Safety Authority, that he is concerned and that he is receiving information similar to this from his constituents and people around the country, but I disagree vehemently with his acceptance that, in general terms, as the Minister of State put it, he is satisfied that the RSA has taken the appropriate actions to address the problem. I am not critical of the RSA. It does a fine job, particularly in regard to road safety, but it has been caught on the hop to some extent on this issue. It did not expect the number of problems that have arisen. Clearly, it is training staff on the go, but that process should have been up and running in some parallel way for some time to ensure the staff would build the competencies needed and that we would not see a backlog developing.

I am not happy that the RSA has done enough to solve this problem which was identified in early November. We are coming towards the end of February and still do not have the level of turnaround needed. If we are down to a ten day turnaround by the end of this month, that will be a phenomenal improvement and, by and large, acceptable. If it can be brought down to a five to eight day turnaround by the end of March, it will be a good result, but from what I am hearing from people generally, that is not the experience. I hope the matter can be addressed, but we need much faster action from the RSA; a two week pilot study is not enough. The process is not moving quickly enough when we consider the negative impact the lack of a replacement licence is having on the lives of so many. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and addressing the issue in the way he has done.

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This is a major transformation of the service. Of 150,000 applications, almost 125,000 licences have been issued. In respect of incomplete applications, regardless of how good the office is, if an application is incomplete, the licence cannot be issued. There is a responsibility on the applicant to correct his or her application. The National Driver Licence Service, NDLS, is on track to have a ten day turnaround by the end of February, which represents a complete transformation of the service. That is a major achievement in moving from a unified system. I respect the issue the Deputy has raised which the Minister will take on board and is monitoring closely. I compliment the staff who are working tirelessly to get this system up and running in the most efficient way possible. No matter how efficient an office is, where there are incomplete applications - I deal with incomplete applications in my office - they cannot be dealt with. That message should also go out.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I understand the difficulty associated with incomplete applications, but that is not the issue I raise. I have great sympathy for any group of people who have to deal with the public on a daily basis because there will always be a number of cases in which documentation will be incomplete. I am talking about applications that are complete and where it still takes seven to eight weeks to turn them around. That is the problem.

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Have faith; it is coming. It is on track.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have great faith in the Minister of State, but I am deeply concerned about the impact this is having on the lives of so many.

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister is very concerned also.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have no doubt about that, but we need more than concern; we need action. If it is an issue of resources or a requirement for the RSA to be provided with more funding from the State, that should happen in the short term. When this issue came before the transport committee, there was a discussion about the fact that the service would be self-financing. It should not, therefore, be a resource issue. I hope the problem can be solved and that people can receive their licences in a timely manner to allow them to go about their daily business.