Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

249. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide an update on efforts to tackle the issue of long waiting lists at the driving test centres in Killester and Raheny; the current wait times at these centres; the number of additional permanent and temporary staff deployed to these centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48959/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service, this includes all testing and scheduling matters. Accordingly, the information requested is held by the RSA.

Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct, detailed response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.

Pending this response, the Deputy will be aware that reducing driving test wait times has been one of my key priorities since taking office. To that end I directed the RSA to produce and publish a service recovery plan to meet the 10-week average national waiting time target by September.

I am informed by the RSA that as of 5 September, the national average wait time for a Category B test was 10 weeks, with 43 test centres at or below this timeframe, including both Killester and Raheny test centres. This marks a significant improvement on the 27-week national average wait time reported at the end of April and marks a return to the 10-week service level agreement (SLA).

The Deputy may wish to note that the RSA is reporting to me on progress against its plan on a fortnightly basis and is publishing progress reports on its website. The plan and progress reports can be found at the following link: www.rsa.ie/services/learner-drivers/the-driving-test/test-waiting-times.

Finally, the Deputy may 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: data.cso.ie/product/RSADTS.