Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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125. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if any further progress has been made to source and secure an appropriate site to recommence driver testing in Drogheda, the largest town in Ireland, with the largest waiting time in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20924/23]

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 the location of test centres is matter for them. 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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126. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the plans, if any, currently in hand to reduce waiting times to sit a driving test, with some individuals waiting at least six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20925/23]

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.

The service has been under significant pressure to meet unprecedented demand, which is up 28% on 2021 figures. This 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, increased capacity in the Driver Theory Test and an increase in Approved Driving Instructors' capacity to deliver lessons to learner drivers.

The Authority has reviewed the capacity of the driver testing service to meet demand and following a request for additional resources in March 2023, my Department has given approval for the recruitment of up to 75 driver testers. This is in addition to the 30 testers who were previously sanctioned in July 2022 and which have been fully deployed since the end of March 2023. This brings the total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to just over 200.

It is expected that once these additional 75 driver testers are recruited, trained and deployed, the backlog for driver testing services will start to reduce from October 2023 and agreed service levels should resume by early to mid 2024. The additional testers will be assigned to fill current vacancies and otherwise allocated to centres with the highest demand for tests. The recruitment campaign for these posts is currently under way.