Written answers

Thursday, 25 February 2021

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Driver Test

Photo of Martin BrowneMartin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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26. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address the issue of the delay and cancellation of driver theory tests (details supplied). [10648/21]

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Driver Theory Test has not been deemed to be an essential service under Level 5. As a consequence, the service is closed while Level 5 restrictions remain in place. Candidates who have a theory test scheduled up to 5th March will be contacted via email with a rescheduled appointment.

The service will remain closed until at least the 05 March. While I fully appreciate the inconvenience this poses, I am sure you will agree with me that the limiting of the spread of the virus and the safeguarding of public health takes priority. As you can appreciate, the first priority has to be public safety – we want to provide services, and we know that people are looking for services, but services can only be provided to the limit possible while preserving public health.

The RSA has advised that it is engaging with its service provider to examine ways of increasing the number of tests within the current health constraints, when services resume. In this regard, the aim is to double capacity over a three-month period. Subject to decisions on future Covid 19 restrictions, this will mean that additional capacity would be made available in April, May and June 2021.

Given that normal capacity was approx. 25,000 tests per month, this initiative will provide an estimated 75,000 extra test appointments over the three-month period. This would make substantial inroads into numbers waiting over that time period.

The Department has been in discussions with the RSA on how to return to the normal target for the maximum waiting time. It will not be possible to arrive at this quickly, given restraints which must be in place due to the pandemic.

It is important to recognise that there are no quick fixes and that the continuing build-up of applications as the pandemic goes on means that it will take time to return to a normal waiting time. Whether in-person services will be able to resume from the 05 March will be dependent on Covid-19 restrictions in place at that time. The position in relation to backlogs will be reviewed again when Level 5 is lifted.

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