Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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180. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport an meán, atá ar thástáil tiomána i láthair na huaire; cad iad na céimeanna atá á nglacadh aige chun an mhoill sin a laghdú; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [2722/24]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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De réir an Achta fán Údarás um Shábháilteacht ar Bhóithre, 2006, is ar an Údarás um Shábháilteacht ar Bhóithre (an RSA) atá an fhreagracht reachtúil as gach gné den tSeirbhís Náisiúnta Tástála Tiomána. Tá mé tar éis ceist an Teachta a chur faoi bhráid an RSA dá bhrí sin le go bhféadfaidh siadsan freagra díreach a thabhairt dó. D’iarrfainn ar an Teachta teagmháil a dhéanamh le m’oifig mura mbeidh freagra faighte aige laistigh de 10 lá.

Maidir leis an moill atá ar thástálacha tiomána faoi láthair, tá brú suntasach ar an tseirbhís le gairid freastal ar éileamh gan fasach. Toisc gur measadh go leanfaí den bhrú sin agus tar éis iarraidh ar acmhainní breise a fháil anuraidh, thug mo Roinn cead le suas le 75 tástálaí tiomána breise a earcú. Fágann sé sin go bhfuil 205 post mar thástálaí tiomána ceadaithe in 2023, líon atá a dhá oiread níos mó ná an 100 post a bhí ceadaithe siar i mí an Mheithimh 2022.

Thosaigh an chéad ghrúpa de na hearcaigh nua ag obair mí Mheán Fómhair seo caite agus tá an mheántréimhse feithimh náisiúnta ag dul i laghad ó shin. Ag deireadh 2023 bhí 41 tástálaí tiomána sa bhreis ag obair ar fud na seirbhíse tástála tiomána, agus iad dírithe go príomha ar na limistéir gheografacha a raibh na tréimhsí feithimh ab fhaide agus an t-éileamh ab airde ar thástálacha iontu.

Tá cead fós ag an Údarás cur le líon na dtástálaithe ar chonarthaí sealadacha leis an mbrú atá ar an tseirbhís faoi láthair a mhaolú tuille.

Tá mo Roinn ag obair as lámha a chéile leis an Údarás le monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar an éileamh atá ar an tseirbhís agus ar na riachtanais acmhainne atá aici lena chinntiú go mbeidh sí in ann an leibhéal comhaontaithe seirbhíse a chomhlíonadh arís, i.e. tréimhse feithimh 10 seachtaine ar an meán, rud atá súil ag an Údarás a bhaint amach faoi lár 2024.

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. I have therefore referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for detailed reply in relation to the Portlaoise test centre. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.

Regarding driver testing delays more generally, the service has been under significant pressure to meet unprecedented demand. Anticipating ongoing demand pressures and following a request for additional resources last year, my Department gave approval for the recruitment of up to 75 additional driver testers. This brings the current total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to 205, which is more than double the 100 sanctioned testing posts in June 2022.

The first tranche of new recruits were deployed last September and the national average waiting time for invitation to test has been decreasing since then. By the end of 2023 there was an increase of 41 driver testers across the driver testing service, with additional testing capacity deployed to the geographical areas with the longest waiting times and highest demand for tests.

Sanction remains in place for the Authority to increase the number of testers to further alleviate current pressures on the service. My Department is working closely with the Authority to monitor demand and capacity requirements of the driver testing service to ensure it meets the agreed service level of average wait times of 10 weeks, which the Authority expects to achieve by mid-2024.