Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

This must be tackled in coming years.

In respect of driving tests, it was already acknowledged earlier in the House that SGS Ireland, the company named by the Taoiseach as being crucial in delivering the tests we need to meet the target set for June 2008, has extremely uneven success rates across the country. It has an average success rate of 62% compared with the Road Safety Authority testers' success rate of 52%. This goes back to a point I made earlier. We have set a new target of June 2008 but do not have the infrastructure in place to ensure it will be met. Critical voices are now being raised about one of the bodies being called on to make that happen and questions are being asked as to why its success rate is so high compared to that of the Road Safety Authority.

The Department of Transport has issued a statement 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 ten weeks. Not only will Members from this side of the House hold the Government accountable in respect of making this happen, the people using our roads, the families suffering as a result of road fatalities and the drivers waiting for tests will be even more demanding in this regard.