Results 41-60 of 183 for speaker:Michael Murphy

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: I thank the chief executive for those opening remarks. I thank him for his presence today, and that of the chief operating office and the director of people development and culture. It is important to put it on the record, but I am sure he is aware of the frustration and anger at national, regional and local levels at what are unacceptable waiting times for driving tests. We will focus on...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: I note Mr. Waide's apology. All members encounter this issue in their constituency offices every week. It is the aspiration of nearly every teenager of 16 or 17 years of age to get his or her hands on a full driving licence. It is so important, as Mr. Waide said in his opening remarks, in terms of employment, caring, education and other areas. It is important that we acknowledge the work...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: How many?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: On three or more permits.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: I want to focus on the action plan and on the forecasting and modelling that Deputy Moynihan talked about. I wish to look at the granular detail of the numbers. Before I do so, I want to support what Deputy Currie said. The absence of progress on limiting the reliance on multiple learner permits, a key objective of the 2013-20 strategic plan, is unacceptable. Can any data be provided...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: I thank Mr. Walsh and Senator Cosgrove. Senator Clifford-Lee is next.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: Good. Looking at the numbers, there were circa 253,000 tests carried out last year. What was the actual demand for tests?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: That is approximately 20,000 more than the actual number of tests. What is the forecast demand for tests this year?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: That is not including the waiting list that existed at the beginning of this year.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: It is the actual demand. The capacity we are trying to build by the end of September, with 200 testers carrying out 7,200 tests a week, is a capacity in the system to do 360,000 tests a year. Looking beyond September and coming back to my goal to reduce the waiting list below ten weeks, I know we may have a spike in dealing with the learner permit issue. As there are between 50,000 and...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: I want to talk about that. At the moment there is a recruitment plan to have 200 by September. What is the average age of permanent testers at the moment? Are there concerns around that?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: Has allowance been made for planned retirements this year?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: What is the average working time of a tester? What is the normal working week?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: That is interesting. If we look at last year, there were on average 36 tests a week per tester. There were some weeks in the action plan at maybe 44. In a normal working week, in the absence of overtime or working on public holidays, that is, nine-to-five, five days a week, how many tests does a tester conduct?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: I am trying to ensure the robustness and resilience of the plan, which provides for 7,200 tests a week by 200 testers, and confirm that it allows for annual leave or sickness.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: We are building capacity in the system to be able to do 360,000 tests. That is just simple maths - 7,200 tests a week multiplied by 50 working weeks in a year. Even at 48 working weeks per year, it is nearly 350,000 tests. There is plenty of capacity to get the waiting time well below ten weeks within 12 months.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: My time is short. That is the-----

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: I will ask a question on that to get into the granular detail of the plan. There are a lot of different centres in the action plan whereby waiting times are going to be reduced by half from 20 weeks to ten without the addition of any new tester. I am going to take Clonmel as an example. Can the witnesses tell me about the waiting list? I know it is a 20-week waiting list but how many are...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: Can Mr. Walsh explain in the context of the EU working directive and so on how the waiting list can be reduced by half in Clonmel without an additional tester?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Murphy: Looking at the action plan, I see one tester for Clonmel, and Clonmel migrating to two testers by the end of September. Is Mr. Walsh saying we could have an additional tester in Clonmel but that detail is not in the action plan?