Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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30. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of driver testers that have been let-go by the Road Safety Authority; if this is acceptable given the unacceptable delays in applicants having tests at centres such as Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46158/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the employer of driver testers . I am therefore passing the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct reply. If a reply has not been received within 10 working days, the Deputy should contact my office.

Due to suspension of driver testing services in the first 2020 lockdown, along with health protocols since resumption and further curtailing of services during subsequent restrictions, a significant backlog developed.

Since public health restrictions have eased, considerable progress has been made in addressing these backlogs, with waiting times having reduced significantly.

Pre Covid, the target national average wait for a test was 10 weeks. On the eve of the pandemic, however, the actual waiting time was around six and a half weeks. This increased to 25 weeks during the pandemic. The pre-pandemic target of having a national average wait of ten weeks was once again achieved by the end of 2021. Projections made early last year had estimated it would be February 2022 before this point was reached.

The national average time to invite for a car test in Ireland currently is now around 14 weeks.

There has been an increase in application volumes and learners becoming eligible to take their test since the start of the year as the economy once again reopened post pandemic. Many learners who availed of increased capacity in the Driver Theory Test are now becoming eligible.

While there has been some growth in demand over the summer months and accompanying seasonal capacity constraints, the RSA are confident that current delays within the system will rectify before year end.

In early 2022, the RSA conducted a review of the current and evolving needs of the driver tester service. This recommended that the number of permanent driver testers employed by the RSA should be raised from 100 to 130. The Department considered the RSA’s request and gave its approval in June 2022. This recruitment process is now underway. The RSA hope to see new testers start work in late Autumn.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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31. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a person (details supplied) from County Donegal can expect a date for a driving test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46176/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The scheduling of driving tests is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have no information on individual cases. 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.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a driving test date will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46179/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The scheduling of driving tests is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have no information on individual cases. 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.