Seanad debates

Wednesday, 1 March 2006

7:00 pm

Photo of Ulick BurkeUlick Burke (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Will he indicate if it is the intention of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, to recruit the much-needed additional driving testers from outside the Department, as opposed to within the Department, as there is already an available pool of highly-qualified driving testers with relevant experience, knowledge and expertise?

I am sure the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, is well aware of the situation prevailing in County Galway where some 40,000 people are currently on the waiting list for driving tests. The proposal to outsource driving tests would present serious difficulties, especially for those staff already involved. Despite the increased number of people applying for driving tests, the number of driving testers has reduced in the past three years. Outsourcing of testers is not the answer. Instead of recruiting ten testers on a two-year contract, as proposed by the Department, why can at least 20 testers not be recruited from among departmental staff as there is a ready-made panel of top quality people available? With additional personnel becoming available from other Departments where they are surplus to requirements and the training that has been agreed for staff which will start in April next, surely this option would provide a better solution to the existing problem?

The backlog for driving tests is only a smokescreen for many of the other shortfalls within the system. No long-term plan has been devised, nor has adequate finance been put in place to address the problems, despite the fact that the waiting list has been growing in recent years. The proposal to outsource the testers will not solve the problem. Trained persons from within the driving test section are most suitable to carry out the work, if given the resources. There is considerable disquiet within the driver testing section regarding the outsourcing of testers.

Continual monitoring of standards and procedures are required and there is already a track record of experience and efficiency in the section. How will this be done if the service is outsourced? How will the standards be tested and maintained? If outsourcing were to take place it would result in problems and industrial relations would be brought to an all-time low. The Minister may be aware of the frustration in the service at present and nothing should be done to aggravate this situation.

The Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill is currently on Committee Stage in the other House. Driving testers are gravely concerned about their status as civil servants which will be affected on the passing of the Bill. In many cases they have been employed as civil servants for over 20 years and they do not want their status to be downgraded. Counsel for the Department stated that civil servants joining the proposed road safety authority, RSA, would retain their Civil Service status but the latest utterings from the Department suggest otherwise. I hope this issue will be clarified in terms of those staff who are currently civil servants. It would appear that the RSA is just a new name for the old Driver Testing and Standards Authority, DTSA.

How much finance has been allocated for this new proposal? The non-registration of cars from other European countries has become an issue following recent road tragedies. It is important that the Minister would examine this matter and consult with testers. He should at least give them a hearing so that a proper structure can be put in place to address the backlog of 40,000 people on the waiting list for driving tests. Better standards can be put in place by existing staff, as opposed to an outsourced service which would not be monitored in terms of safety and standard of driver testing. It is a "from-the-hip" response to a very serious problem and I hope the Minister will re-examine the issue with a view to consultation and agreeing proper methods of carrying out driver testing.

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Senator Ulick Burke for raising this issue on the Adjournment and giving me the opportunity to put the situation in respect of driving testers on the record on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen.

The Minister for Transport has repeatedly made the point that the delay in providing driving tests is a matter of regret to him. The Government believes this not only represents a poor service to the public but is also hampering the development of initiatives which we wish to pursue and which will contribute further to road safety. It is our objective to eliminate the backlog of driving tests by mid-2007 and the Department of Transport has developed a package of measures in consultation with staff interests to achieve this aim.

This package seeks to maximise the contribution made by the available pool of existing driver testers. The main element of the package is a bonus scheme which, at a cost of approximately €2 million, is an incentive to existing driver testers to undertake more tests. A very high number of the existing driver testers have indicated that they will participate in this bonus scheme. This initiative will make a significant contribution to the reduction of the backlog over the coming 18 months.

Furthermore, in a unique cross-departmental and cross-union agreement, a further seven civil servants from the Department of Agriculture and Food are being trained as driver testers and will start working in April to reduce the backlog. Later in the year, they will be augmented by another ten new recruits on two-year contracts. This increased volume of testing is putting administrative staff in Ballina, who are often the first point of contact between the public and the Department, under considerable pressure but they are making a major contribution to resolving a difficult situation.

The final element of the package is a proposal for the temporary use of outsourcing for a set period. Temporary outsourcing of a set number of tests for a set period of time would not only provide access to additional staff resources but also to training options and to infrastructure and facilities that are regarded as necessary to overcome the backlog.

A number of unions have questioned whether Sustaining Progress permits this form of outsourcing. This disagreement reflects a genuinely held difference of opinion on the meaning of clauses in Sustaining Progress. Departmental and union officials have worked hard together to reach solutions. Although good progress has been made, it is not expected to be sufficient to eliminate the backlog as quickly as possible.

The question of temporary outsourcing was referred to arbitration and a finding of the arbitration board is expected shortly. However, I think it is important to put on the record of this House that the Minister for Transport has stated that he appreciates the level of service and commitment the existing staff, both testers and administrative staff, have given and continue to give to the delivery of a driver testing service. They will continue to be the backbone of the service into the future. He has assured them that he will continue to secure and provide the resources needed to improve the public service infrastructure.

In tandem with eliminating the backlog, the Minister for Transport is determined to support a better public service delivery of the driving test to the benefit of both customers and staff. Ultimately, if we can conclude agreement of our backlog proposals, there are substantial gains to be made. These include a major contribution to road safety, improved customer service for applicants, the advancement of further road safety reforms and assist in reducing insurance premiums.