Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today on a really serious topic. I am not going rehash everything that has been said. However, the situation in Kerry is particularly concerning. According to the latest figures, the waiting time for a driving test in Tralee averages approximately 26 or 27 weeks, while in Killarney, applicants face a delay of up to 15 weeks. These prolonged waiting times are unacceptable and place undue stress on individuals who need their licences to work or provide essential services.

I am most concerned about the failure rate across the country. In my county of Kerry, the pass rate is 53.6% in Tralee and 52.8% in Killarney. That is unacceptable. That may be the result of bad learning behaviour or techniques picked up by these kids. I do not know the cause. If 100 kids are sitting their tests today in Kerry, 50 of them will go back on the list. Rather than beating around the bush, I will suggest that other things may be at play here.

I congratulate the Department on the work it has done already. Some 70 additional testers have been employed and we hope that figure will be up to 200 by September or November. One practical suggestion for Kerry would be the establishment of a new driving test centre in Listowel. People from north Kerry must go to Tralee, where the waiting list is so long. People are now travelling further to Killarney. It is totally unacceptable. My son has been playing a lot of football recently. He is on that waiting list. Getting him to training and games is a heartache. It is unacceptable.

I urge the Minister and the RSA to prioritise these issues and install a driving test centre in Listowel, which will relieve a lot of stress for parents.