Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. I never get weary of responding to this question because it is important. I hope the response and the achievements will be acknowledged by those who have, quite rightly, raised it in the past. The driver test service is provided by the Road Safety Authority. I am very aware of the current waiting times for driver tests throughout the country.I accept waiting times at some centres remain high. Measures being put in place, however, by the Road Safety Authority are working towards reducing waiting times for the public. The Road Safety Authority's target for a national average time for a driver test is no longer than ten weeks. Of the 50 test centres around the country, 33 now meet this target, with many coming in under ten weeks. The current average wait time, as of 4 March 2019, is 8.8 weeks. Some centres, such as Carrick-on-Shannon, Castlebar, Dún Laoghaire-Deansgrange, Finglas, Letterkenny, Naas, Sligo, Waterford and Wexford are at six weeks or less. There are, however, some centres where the wait time is considerably longer.

The longest average wait times are currently in Wicklow, at 17.6 weeks, and Kilrush, at 15.9 weeks. The average waiting time for driver tests at all centres are available on the Road Safety Authority's website,www.rsa.ie. This information is updated weekly. It should be noted that the figure shown in the longest wait time column is the longest time that one, or more, applicants has been waiting for a test. It is not the average wait time. That figure is likely due to issues such as non-completion of the mandatory 12 EDT lessons, fee payments outstanding or an applicant rescheduling an appointment.

It should also be noted that an applicant can apply to sit the driver test at any test centre in the country. In 2018, following my approval, the Road Safety Authority recruited 52 driver testers and another 14 driver testers are undergoing training. In addition, it is planned to recruit eight more driver testers in March. Including the 14 driver testers in training, there are now 147.94 full-time equivalent driver testers available for deployment. This provides an annual capacity of 260,000 driving tests. Despite an increase in applications for driver tests, which may reflect legislative changes in respect of enforcing the existing law on unaccompanied learner drivers, the Clancy amendment, as well as ongoing economic and demographic growth, there is a gradual reduction in waiting times at almost all test centres.

With the additional resources available, as well as those coming on stream, waiting times will continue to reduce at all test centres. The Road Safety Authority provides a facility where driving test cancellations are made available to applicants who may need an urgent appointment. An applicant should contact the Road Safety Authority directly and request that he or she be placed on the cancellation list. In order to be fair to all applicants, cancellation places will be assigned in order of the date of placement on the list. If an applicant requires a driver test urgently, for employment or emigration purposes, the Road Safety Authority will make every effort to accommodate that person.