Written answers
Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Road Safety
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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94. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that nearly 5,000 people did not turn up for their driving test to date in 2024; if this is a record number; and if he intends continues to permit the Road Safety Authority to renew learner permits for people who did not show for their test. [37494/24]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that changes to the online booking system for appointments has significantly reduced the percentage of appointments where candidates do not attend for their driving test. However, under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service and, as the information requested is held by that agency, I have referred the question to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days. However,
The Deputy may be interested to note that the RSA has recently started to publish detailed monthly information on the driver testing service on the CSO website, including the breakdown of waiting times and distribution of testing capacity by test centre.
My Department and the Authority have agreed an approach to addressing the issue of ongoing renewal of learner permits without sitting a driving test. It is intended that there will be a requirement to take a driving test before renewing a second learner permit and that there will be a limit to the number of renewals that can be made before a learner must start the learner driver process again. The intention is to proceed with the planned approach when the driver testing backlog is resolved.
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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95. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of fatal road traffic collisions involving learner drivers each year from 2016 to date in 2024; the number of fatalities in each of the fatal crashes, by year; the number of fatal crashes involving an unaccompanied learner driver; the number of fatalities in each of those crashes; the number of learner drivers involved who had never sat a driving test; the timeframe for the Road Safety Authority to publish data on fatal and serious crashes involving learner drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37504/24]
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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96. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of serious road traffic collisions involving learner drivers each year from 2016 to date in 2024; the number of people who suffered serious injuries in those crashes each year; the number of unaccompanied learner drivers involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37505/24]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has a statutory remit to report on fatal, serious and minor injury collisions on public roads. The RSA receives collision data from An Garda Síochána for this purpose and produces official statistics to help develop evidence-based road safety interventions.
Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the RSA for direct, detailed reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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97. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for details of his agreed approach with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to prevent learner permit renewals without sitting a driving test, under action 27 of the Road Safety Strategy; the details of the RSA implementation plan; the proposed date to implement the plan in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37506/24]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department and the Road Safety Authority have agreed an approach to addressing the issue of ongoing renewal of learner permits without sitting a driving test. It is intended that there will be a requirement to take a driving test before renewing a second learner permit and that there will be a limit to the number of renewals that can be made before a learner must start the learner driver process again.
Discussions on the details of implementation are ongoing between the Department and the Authority and the RSA is working on an implementation plan. Phased implementation will be required, to provide for the development of IT systems, increased testing capacity and revision of driver training and the test curriculum. The intention is to proceed when the driver testing backlog is resolved.
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