Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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95. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason for the delay in offering a driving test date; if a driving test can be expedited for a person (details supplied) for employment purposes in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9081/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The operation of the national driving test service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority and I have therefore referred 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. As Minister, I have no influence on the scheduling of appointments.

On the broader issue of driver testing delays, I am informed that the current increase in demand for driving tests and the time to invitation for learner drivers has a number of contributing factors which include: an increase in learner permits in circulation which has grown by about 30% since Q3 2019; increased capacity in the Driver Theory Test when the service resumed post Covid-19 and an increase in Approved Driving Instructors capacity to deliver lessons to learner drivers which has increased the volume of learners becoming eligible and ready to take their actual test.

I would like to assure the Deputy that the RSA is making every effort to address this issue. The Authority conducted a review of the current and evolving needs of the driver testing service in 2022, following which my department sanctioned an increase in the permanent driver tester headcount from 100 to 130.

I am informed that the RSA has deployed the majority of successful candidates across the driver testing service, with a focus on geographical areas with the longest waiting lists. It is expected that the remainder will be deployed by the end of Q1 2023.

Further to this, the RSA conducted an updated analysis of demand and capacity in late 2022 and early 2023, which has concluded that a further increase in driver tester is required. My Department is actively engaged with the RSA in evaluating this request at present.