Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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368. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied that it is safe for driving instructors, driving testers and NCT workers to continue working during the current Covid-19 restrictions; the assessments conducted to inform this view and supports provided to keep workers safe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1841/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The operation of the NCT and Driver Testing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), and as such the RSA, and its service providers, are responsible for the health and safety of staff under health and safety legislation, including assessments of their various functions, and developing safety protocols to ensure the safety of their workers. The RSA have provided the Department with comprehensive information concerning the measures that have been put in place across all their services to ensure they can continue in a safe manner and in line with HSE and HSA guidelines.

The Department notes that since the resumption of the Driver Testing Service in the summer 2020, in spite of the inherent risks in a service which inevitably involves testers and test candidates in close proximity in a confined space, there has been no case of Covid transmission during the driving test. 

Under current level 5 restrictions, driver tests are continuing but at a significantly reduced capacity, due to the suspension of tests for all but essential workers.

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. The level 5 legislation introduced by the Minister of Health means that driving instruction can continue as an essential service, albeit in extremely limited circumstances. It does not mean that instruction has to continue, or that driving instructors are obliged to teach against their will. It is up to each driving instructor or driving school to make the appropriate choices to protect themselves, their families, and their customers.