Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Transport when the initiative to reduce the backlog of people awaiting a driving test will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9087/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Transport the waiting time per area for people wishing to sit their driving test; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties this is creating for drivers particularly in areas of high unemployment and poor public transport; and the new steps or measures he proposes to introduce in particular relevance to these areas of social and economic deprivation. [9199/06]

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Transport his proposals to reduce waiting times for the driving test. [9183/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 101 and 125 together.

I refer the Deputies to my reply to Question No. 113, which I answered in the House on 1 February 2006.

As I have already indicated, the delay in providing driving tests is a matter of regret to me. I believe it not only represents a poor service to the public but it is also hampering the development of initiatives which I wish to pursue and which will contribute further to road safety. The driving test and those who deliver it are a key element in the road safety strategy.

It is my objective to eliminate the backlog of driving tests by mid-2007 and my Department has developed a package of measures in consultation with staff interests to achieve this. Additional staff have been made available to the driving test service. Seven additional testers are currently being trained and will be carrying out tests from April onwards. A recruitment campaign has been completed and a further ten persons will commence training shortly and will be available for testing this June.

I am pleased to acknowledge that a very high number of the existing driver testers have indicated that they will participate in a bonus scheme which will make a significant contribution to the reduction of the backlog. Some 90 driver testers have, by way of additional Saturday and evening working, committed to deliver some 30,000 tests over a one year period. This scheme commenced in February and will make a significant contribution to the backlog.

My Department is currently awaiting the outcome of an arbitration hearing on the use of outsourcing which could make a vital and significant additional contribution to the backlog.

My Department is still in a position to offer early tests to those applicants requiring an urgent test, once they provide satisfactory documentary evidence of the reason they require it.

Information on driving test waiting times is set out in the following table.