Written answers

Tuesday, 11 February 2025

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Driver Test

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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165. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current total service volume of each driving test centre, in tabular form. [4687/25]

Photo of Johnny GuirkeJohnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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170. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current average waiting times for driving test appointments in County Meath for each of the licence categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4707/25]

Photo of Johnny GuirkeJohnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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171. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for the current longest waiting times for driving test appointments in County Meath for each of the licence categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4708/25]

Photo of Paul McAuliffePaul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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172. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current average wait times for a driving test appointment at each test centre nationally. [4730/25]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 165, 170, 171 and 172 together.

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the questions to the RSA for direct, detailed reply. Please contact my private office if a response is not received within ten days.

Pending this detailed response, to address the issue of driver testing waiting times, in September 2024 my Department sanctioned an additional 70 permanent positions for driver testers. This increases the total permanent sanction for testers to 200, which represents a doubling of permanent posts since June 2022.

As a condition of sanction, my officials have requested that a plan is put in place to restore waiting times to 10 weeks as soon as possible. I understand that recruitment is well underway and additional capacity will enter the service in the coming months, helping to progressively reduce waiting times.

Deputies may also wish to note that the RSA 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. This information is available at the following link:

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