Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I come from a rural community and the Senator does not need to lecture me about the Government's support for such communities. I come from probably one of the most isolated rural communities in the entire country so I am very much aware of the difficulties and challenges that face these communities.

I reiterate that there is an avenue for rural dwellers who need to complete a driving test for work or other purposes. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, over 1,000 tests are cancelled per week. That situation provides an opportunity to people to avail of a test at short notice should there be a work requirement or in a situation where they need to obtain a licence because of where they live or their circumstances. This is an avenue that I encourage anybody to avail of and it is something that my office has assisted people with in the past.

I advise Senator Boyhan to go back to the local representatives who have contacted him and advise them of that avenue rather than stand up here to pontificate and rant about the Government. I suggest that he do something useful and inform people of the avenues that can assist in alleviating the problem.

The figures I have are quite different from those outlined by the Senator.