Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Ulick Burke for raising this issue on the Adjournment and giving me the opportunity to put the situation in respect of driving testers on the record on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen.

The Minister for Transport has repeatedly made the point that the delay in providing driving tests is a matter of regret to him. The Government believes this not only represents a poor service to the public but is also hampering the development of initiatives which we wish to pursue and which will contribute further to road safety. It is our objective to eliminate the backlog of driving tests by mid-2007 and the Department of Transport has developed a package of measures in consultation with staff interests to achieve this aim.

This package seeks to maximise the contribution made by the available pool of existing driver testers. The main element of the package is a bonus scheme which, at a cost of approximately €2 million, is an incentive to existing driver testers to undertake more tests. A very high number of the existing driver testers have indicated that they will participate in this bonus scheme. This initiative will make a significant contribution to the reduction of the backlog over the coming 18 months.

Furthermore, in a unique cross-departmental and cross-union agreement, a further seven civil servants from the Department of Agriculture and Food are being trained as driver testers and will start working in April to reduce the backlog. Later in the year, they will be augmented by another ten new recruits on two-year contracts. This increased volume of testing is putting administrative staff in Ballina, who are often the first point of contact between the public and the Department, under considerable pressure but they are making a major contribution to resolving a difficult situation.

The final element of the package is a proposal for the temporary use of outsourcing for a set period. Temporary outsourcing of a set number of tests for a set period of time would not only provide access to additional staff resources but also to training options and to infrastructure and facilities that are regarded as necessary to overcome the backlog.

A number of unions have questioned whether Sustaining Progress permits this form of outsourcing. This disagreement reflects a genuinely held difference of opinion on the meaning of clauses in Sustaining Progress. Departmental and union officials have worked hard together to reach solutions. Although good progress has been made, it is not expected to be sufficient to eliminate the backlog as quickly as possible.

The question of temporary outsourcing was referred to arbitration and a finding of the arbitration board is expected shortly. However, I think it is important to put on the record of this House that the Minister for Transport has stated that he appreciates the level of service and commitment the existing staff, both testers and administrative staff, have given and continue to give to the delivery of a driver testing service. They will continue to be the backbone of the service into the future. He has assured them that he will continue to secure and provide the resources needed to improve the public service infrastructure.

In tandem with eliminating the backlog, the Minister for Transport is determined to support a better public service delivery of the driving test to the benefit of both customers and staff. Ultimately, if we can conclude agreement of our backlog proposals, there are substantial gains to be made. These include a major contribution to road safety, improved customer service for applicants, the advancement of further road safety reforms and assist in reducing insurance premiums.