Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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367. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered the suggestion of the approved driving instructors to allow candidates who are deemed suitable to take their driver test without the need to complete 12 lessons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19340/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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By law, those who have a learner permit must hold it for a minimum of 6 months and have completed 12 Essential Driver Training (EDT) lessons before they can apply for a driving test.

However, during the current level 5 restrictions, Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) may only conduct lessons in circumstances where the learner in question has already been scheduled a test date.

The Department is very aware of the difficulty this poses to learners who are unable to avail of instruction because they have not yet completed the 12 lessons required to book a test. However, I will not be making any changes to the existing legislation regarding mandatory completion of the 12 EDT lessons.

Essential Driver Training (EDT) is one of several measures introduced by the RSA in recent years to help improve critical driving knowledge, skills and behaviours of new drivers. The driving test is a test of a driver's competence and ability to behave safely and responsibly on the road and a learner cannot acquire this level of competence without the appropriate formal training and supervision. As statistics gathered by the RSA consistently demonstrate, the requirement to complete the 12 EDT lessons considerably increases a learner driver's chances of passing their driving test.

While I fully appreciate the inconvenience the current restrictions poses to learners who have not yet completed their training, I must remind the Deputy that this decision was reached in line with official National Public Health Emergency (NPHET) advice that everyone in Ireland work to limit the spread of the virus by staying at home and keeping social contacts to an absolute minimum.

Officials in my Department and in the Road Safety Authority are working hard to ensure that EDT can resume as soon as it is safe to do so.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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368. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons that are on waiting lists for driver tests for each testing centre in County Cork; the average waiting time persons have for these centres in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19404/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The information requested is held by the Road Safety Authority. I have therefore referred this question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.