Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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134. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the pilot programme by the Road Safety Authority to examine whether theory tests can be taken remotely and online; if the programme will be rolled-out in the future in order to clear the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6685/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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While this is an operational matter for the RSA, my Department had previously requested that the Authority, as the body legally responsible for the driver theory test, examine whether theory tests can be taken on line remotely and what is required to do so.

The Driver Theory Test service has recently launched a pilot phase of a new initiative, which offers a Remote Testing service for specific categories of Theory Test (C, D, CD, BMT, TMT, ADI, CPCB, CPCT). During the pilot phase Remote Testing will be available on a limited basis and extra capacity will be added as it is rolled out to allow more customers to sit their bus, truck, CPC or ADI Theory Test online.

This pilot phase is still ongoing and will be reviewed in due course. Following this review, I understand the RSA expect the initiative to be extended for car and motorcycles.

While, the RSA are keen to progress and extend the service to all categories of Driver Theory Test, scaling up operations to facilitate higher numbers will take time to achieve.