Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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148. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current wait-time for driver tests in locations (details supplied); the number of persons who are currently waiting to be tested; when this backlog will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42720/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation of the Driving Test. Specific details on individual test centres are held by the Road Safety Authority.  I have therefore referred this part of the 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.

I can assure the Deputy that the Department is very aware of the challenges facing the RSA as they work hard to further manage the backlog in the Driver Testing Service.

Since last October, the driver testing service has been prioritising essential workers. Since May 2021, the RSA has been returning to delivering tests for all customers, while continuing to prioritise critical frontline workers. This means, in the interest of fairness, the RSA targeted test appointments to those waiting longest who are ready and eligible to take the test.

The service continues to operate under restrictions in the interest of making it safe while there is an ongoing presence of Covid.

In order to deal with the backlog, the RSA received sanction to hire 40 new temporary testers, in addition to 36 they were sanctioned to retain or rehire in 2020. These new testers have completed their training and are now conducting live tests since July 2021. Sanction has also been granted to recruit a further 40 testers and the process has commenced.

An extra 10 temporary test centres have been opened (and are effectively an expansion of existing locations or replacing unsuitable locations), and a further 9 locations have been expanded within the existing premises, to accommodate more testers.

Other measures being taken include increasing the number of tests carried out per tester per day as well as additional opening hours.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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149. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the information that must be supplied to the RSA for a driver test applicant to confirm that they are a critical frontline worker; if the information supplied is verified or checked by the RSA; the way the RSA then treat this information under GDPR; the legislation that underpins the right of the RSA to request such personal information from driver test applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42721/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation of the Driving Test. This is an operational matter for the RSA.  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.