Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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362. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to deal with backlogs and cancellations of driving tests, theory tests, NCT exams and driving lessons due to the lockdown in January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1396/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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My Department is in constant contact with the Road Safety Authority since the start of the pandemic regarding all of its services, the impact of Covid-19 on those services, and how they can best be maintained in the current circumstances. 

Due to suspension of driver testing services in the first 2020 lockdown, along with the health protocols since resumption of service and the further curtailing of services during subsequent level 5 restrictions, a significant backlog has developed. The need to once again return to level 5 restrictions for reasons of public health has inevitably impacted further on delays to driver testing. During the level 5 period, driving tests will be available only to those who are involved in essential services, including essential retail work.  

While the service is limited during level 5 restrictions, the Road Safety Authority is examining ways of increasing the number of tests within health constraints with an eye to resuming wider testing after level 5. This includes increasing the number of testing staff to help reduce and, over time, eliminate the backlog.

Following discussions with the RSA, my Department has approved the hiring of a further 40 temporary testers for 22 months, and the process of recruitment is now underway.  However it will take some time for people to be selected and trained.

These new hires will be in addition to the 36 temporary testers who I previously gave sanction to rehire during 2020.

These measures will help to increase testing capacity.  However, I would like to stressthat many of the issues impacting on the delivery of service are concerned with the throughput of centres themselves in light of the restrictions, rather than on the availability of staff.

The RSA are also looking at a number of other measures, including whether the number of tests a driver tester can perform each day can be increased. Any decision on this matter will be guided by health protocols.

The Department has been in discussions with the RSA on how to return to the normal target for the maximum waiting time, which is around ten weeks.  It is clear that 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 reach a normal waiting time. 

Covid-19 has also had a profound effect on the delivery of the Road Safety Authority’s driver theory testing services and a significant backlog has developed.   Under current level 5 restrictions, the driver theory test has not been deemed to be an essential service. As a consequence, the service is closed while level 5 restrictions remain in place. 

The RSA, together with its service provider, have put plans in place to increase capacity in the service for when it can re-open.  This will see an increase in capacity from an average pre Covid19 level of 15,000 appointments per calendar month to up to 50,000 when the service resumes. This will help manage the backlog of customers and shorten waiting times.  Much like the driver testing service, it will take time for the theory test service to return to normal waiting times.

The NCT has been identified as an essential service, and as a result, it is not expected that there will be any interruptions to the service. With this in mind, I do not foresee any backlog arising as a direct result of the lockdown in January 2021.

Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) are entirely independent operators and neither the Road Safety Authority nor the Department can dictate how they run their individual businesses.