Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this important Topical Issue. I raise this issue today because there is an urgent need to finally close the loophole that allows drivers to continue renewing learner permits indefinitely without ever sitting a driving test. Of course, this is not a new problem. It was identified more than a decade ago in the RSA's Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020. Action 33 of the strategy clearly commits to addressing this loophole with a completion date of quarter 1 of 2014. Eleven years later, this loophole still has not been closed.

I acknowledge the Minister's ongoing work, and that of the RSA, in improving waiting times for driving tests. We know that waiting times have been reducing steadily and additional testers have been recruited. This progress deserves recognition. The current waiting time is averaging ten weeks and we need to get it lower. There is a capacity in the system to do 7,200 tests on a weekly basis.

However, the issue of multiple successive learner permits remains a glaring gap in our road safety framework. I acknowledge all those who have lost their lives this year - 147 people. I also think of their families today. I also want to acknowledge the work of PARC, the road safety advocacy group, in particular Susan Gray, with whom I work very closely in my role as Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport.

According to the RSA, more than 56,000 people currently hold three or more learner permits and many of them have never once sat a driving test. The situation is deeply unfair to the majority of learners who do the right thing - those who complete their lessons, prepare properly and take the test when they are ready. It also undermines public confidence in the system. The RSA confirmed before an Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport committee meeting in June that draft regulations have been prepared to deal with this issue and the process with the Department is at final engagement stage. The RSA expects implementation to be imminent. These regulations will, as I understand it, limit renewals to three learner permits and require a person to sit a driving test before a further renewal is granted. I believe that is a fair, balanced and long overdue reform, but it needs to happen now. A related issue, which must be tackled at the same time, is the growing number of no-shows for driving tests.

In July and August alone, over 6,000 hours of testers' time were lost because candidates simply did not turn up. In fact, it was 2,000 candidates. That is the equivalent of hundreds of extra tests that could be carried out, tests that people who are desperately waiting could have taken. I understand efforts are being made to reduce waiting times but unless this loophole is closed and the no-show rate is addressed, the system will continue to face unnecessary pressure.

The Department's own statement from earlier this year said that secondary legislation is being prepared to give effect to this change and the RSA is finally finalising its implementation plan. I urge the Minister of State to bring those regulations forward without delay because every month that passes is another month where this loophole continues to undermine road safety and fairness. This reform has been promised for over a decade; it is now time to deliver it.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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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.

Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. I have a reply in front of me and perhaps he could give clarification. It says that the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, signed a regulation yesterday. If that is the case, I welcome that. I also welcome the reply the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, has just given and again acknowledge the Department's efforts to improve driving tests overall. As the Minister of State knows, this issue has been flagged repeatedly by the RSA and by the transport committee, of which, as he said, I am Chair, but more importantly by the public and road victims advocacy groups, in particular Promoting Awareness, Responsibility and Care, PARC. The commitment dates back to 2014 but we still have a situation where tens of thousands of drivers can legally stay on the road without ever proving they are competent to drive. Some of those 60,000 are in receipt of learner permits on more than 20 occasions.

The Minister of State might give clarification on the timeline. As I said, the reply in front of me said the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, signed this yesterday, which I really welcome. Is there any further clarity around any transitional arrangements? I know the RSA published its action plan to reduce waiting times back in May. I suggest now that this action plan is updated with this significant additional load of 60,000. It is really important that we maintain waiting times at around ten weeks and that capacity in the system to do 7,200 tests on a weekly basis.

On the issue of no-shows, can the Minister outline what measures are being considered to reduce the rate of missed tests? As I said, there were 1,000 missed tests in July and another 1,000 in August. I am still waiting for the figures for September. Will it be through improved notifications, rescheduling, flexibility or perhaps penalties for repeated absences? Again, this is not about punishment. It is ensuring that the learner system works as intended, that it promotes good driving habits and that it protects all road users. It is about implementation. I welcome that either the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, signed the regulations yesterday or that the signing of the regulation is imminent. The RSA is ready. It is time to act now.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I am very grateful to Deputy Murphy for raising this. From a road safety perspective, it is vital that learners are encouraged to complete the learning-to-drive process and become fully qualified drivers, and that people do not hold learner permits without ever taking a driving test. The RSA has a communication plan to engage with multiple learner permit holders. This will provide clear, targeted information to affected learners setting out the changes and providing information regarding testing options and supports available. It is important to remember that learners must always be accompanied by someone with a current driver licence for the same type of vehicle. They must have held that licence for at least two years and display L plates on the front and rear of the vehicles they are driving.

As stated, it is illegal for anyone with a learner permit to drive on a public road unaccompanied. The following penalties apply to a learner convicted of driving unaccompanied. If you are unaccompanied and the vehicle owner, you are liable to have your vehicle impounded. If you are unaccompanied but not the vehicle owner, the owner faces their vehicle being impounded and being fined up to €1,000. In addition, there are penalty points and fines for unaccompanied learners - up to four penalty points and a fine of up to €160.

In closing, the safety of all road users is a guiding principle behind driver licensing law. Road safety is promoted by ensuring that all learners meet a high standard of ability, attain sufficient driving experience and training and prove their ability to drive safely by passing a driving test. With regard to the two specific queries raised by Deputy Murphy, I will, of course, pass them on to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and ask him to reply to the Deputy directly.

Catherine Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That concludes the debate on Topical Issues and we will proceed with Private Members' business.