Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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180. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current length of waiting lists for driving tests in Cork, by test centre, in tabular form; and to detail the measures he is taking to reduce waiting times. [43286/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes holding information on waiting lists and wait times at test centres in Cork. As such, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct reply on the specific issue raised. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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181. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current length of the waiting lists for driving theory tests in Cork, by test centre, in tabular form; and to detail the measures he is taking to reduce waiting times. [43287/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes holding information on driver theory test wait times at test centres in Cork. As such, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct reply on the specific issue raised. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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182. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to review correspondence (detail supplied); if he can provide an update on this driving test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43309/23]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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183. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to review correspondence (details supplied); if he can provide an update on this driving test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43310/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 183 together.

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. Consequently, information on applicants is held by the RSA and neither I nor my Department have the power to intervene in individual cases.

On the broader issue of delays, the service has been under significant pressure to meet unprecedented demand, which has increased by 28% compared with 2021 figures. In response to these pressures, the Authority reviewed the capacity of the driver testing service and, following a request for additional resources, my Department gave approval for the recruitment of up to 75 additional driver testers. This brings the total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to just over 200.

This recruitment is underway and being managed by the Authority. I have been advised that the first tranche of new recruits was deployed in September. The additional driver testers are being allocated across the driver testing service with a focus on geographical areas with the longest waiting times and highest demand for tests.

It is expected that once the full complement of additional driver testers are trained and deployed, the backlog for driver testing services will begin to decline by the end of October and agreed service levels will resume by mid 2024.