Imelda Goldsboro (Fianna Fail)

As the Fianna Fáil spokesperson for transport and as a member of the transport committee, I welcome the Minister of State. I will not to reiterate what my colleagues have said. We all know the figures and the statistics, which are there for everybody to see. There are a number of concerns. I acknowledge the proactive work of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, in addressing this situation as a matter of urgency. I look forward to the website being updated.

What is the timeframe? We have heard that the waiting times will be reduced to ten weeks by September. Is there a contingency plan in place? Will this situation be monitored closely? Will somebody be held accountable if we do not meet those targets?

Where I am from in Tipperary South, the waiting time is 27 weeks. Waiting times in Thurles are 23 weeks and in Clonmel they are 28 weeks. When we look at the figures, we see 8,000 no-shows. That is 8,000 people who did not show up for their tests over the past two years. We need to consider penalising no-shows. I understand that there can be emergencies, illnesses or a sudden need for a cancellation, but 8,000 tells its own story.

In rural Ireland, we do not have a metro, a Luas, a DART or even public bus services in many of our villages. We rely on our parents and on our licence to drive a car to give us independence. In the terms and conditions of most jobs now, the first criteria are about education. Many of our sons and daughters can meet the education criteria, but when one reads the fine print, it says that a full licence is required. People not having a full licence, through no fault of their own, is a significant barrier. It takes people out of the workforce and away from having a bright future here in Ireland. It means they have to go back on social welfare or consider emigrating, all through no fault of their own.

Younger people are trying to get on the employment ladder or looking for work experience. In rural areas, we do not have a lot of businesses or shops. These young people have to travel. They need to get to the nearest town or city from their houses. Parents are working and it is up to family members such as grandparents to step in. They cannot do this on a regular basis.When we look at challenges families face every day we see students going to college and trying to educate themselves. It is difficult for families financially to put a son or daughter through college because they must pay fees and accommodation fees. If that son or daughter had a full driving licence, it would have a positive impact on their lives and those of their parents.

This is an issue in Mullinahone, Clooneen, Fethard, Ballyporeen, Emly and right across Tipperary South. I have spoken to students, younger people and people in their late to mid-20s who are still waiting for a driving test. It is not good enough. This is a matter of urgency. I know the Minister of State will convey this information to the Minister but my concern is about who will monitor the situation over the next few weeks to ensure the waiting list is reduced to ten weeks by September.