Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will report on his recent meetings with staff associations representing driving testers; the reason such meetings did not occur prior to the tendering process for private sector operators for the driving test service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28843/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department and the Department of Finance agreed a package of measure to reduce the backlog of driving test applications in April this year. The package includes a bonus scheme for driver testers, the recruitment of additional testers as well as the outsourcing of a block of tests. Details of the package were notified to the testers' union, IMPACT, in late April 2005 and to other unions in May 2005. Consultations on the package commenced shortly afterwards with IMPACT.

The tendering process for a contract to conduct driving tests commenced in June 2005. The closing date for receipt of tenders was 5 September 2005. Although the position was outlined at departmental council, detailed consultation with staff, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 21.12 of Sustaining Progress, on the effect such outsourcing might have on their work could not proceed until such time as the details of the preferred tender were available. My officials have already had preliminary meetings with two of the staff associations in this context.

The purpose of my recent meeting with the staff associations, following a disappointing lack of uptake of a generous bonus scheme offered to driver testers, was to stress my commitment to the package on offer and to offer assurances to the staff that the outsourcing option was a once off response to deal with the unacceptable delays in obtaining a driving test that would not impact on their terms and conditions and was not intended as a precursor to outsourcing of the driver testing service. Regrettably the use of outsourcing is being disputed by the staff associations, who have asked that the matter be referred to conciliation under the terms of Sustaining Progress. A conciliation hearing at the Labour Relations Commission is scheduled for 21 October 2005.