Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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142. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he plans to allow for workers in essential industries to sit a driver theory test. [11620/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Driver Theory Test (DTT) was not deemed to be an essential service under Level 5 restrictions, and the service has been closed since late December 2020. In-person services will remain closed while level 5 restrictions remain in place. 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.

When the DTT Service closed in late 2020 due to the latest restrictions, the backlog arising from the first suspension (March to June 2020) had not yet been cleared. This, coupled with the need to significantly reduce normal daily capacity to comply with occupational and public health requirements, led to further delays for those wishing to take the DTT.

The RSA, together with its service provider, have put plans in place to significantly increase capacity within the service when it is allowed to re-open. To cope with the initial four-month suspension, the service increased capacity from an average pre Covid-19 capacity of 15,000 to over 25,000 monthly. A plan is being progressed to increase this capacity up to 50,000 per month when service resumes, to manage the backlog of customers and shorten waiting times.

In addition to the increased capacity initiative, and at the request of the Department, the RSA is also working on a plan to roll out an online driver theory test service. This has been trialled on a pilot basis for those taking a theory test for trucks and buses during the months of December and January. The pilot is now being evaluated and the RSA is committed to extending the service for all theory test customers during 2021. There will be a limit on the number of customers that can avail of the service during the initial roll out phase but the objective is that it should be an option for all theory test customers during later phases of the roll out, in line with enhancing access to public services.However, scaling up operations to facilitate higher numbers will take time to achieve.

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 extension of Level 5 restrictions will impact on how quickly the backlog plan can be delivered and the position will be reviewed again when Level 5 is lifted .

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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143. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a person (details supplied) cannot finish their driving lessons. [11622/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Announcements made by An Taoiseach on the 23rd of February confirmed that level 5 restrictions are set to continue until the 5th of April, at which point the situation will be reviewed.

As before, Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) may continue to provide lessons under these restrictions, but only in such circumstances where the learner in question has already been scheduled a test date.

While I very much regret the difficulty this poses to learners who had previously commenced, but not yet completed, the 12 mandatory lessons required to book a test, I must remind the Deputy that this decision has been taken in line with official public health recommendations that everyone in Ireland work to limit the spread of the virus by staying at home in so far as is possible.