Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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156. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the lease agreement for Mallow driving test centre; if the testing facilities will remain in Mallow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49767/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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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, including the provision of test centres. Neither I nor my officials are involved in the service at an operational level. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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157. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is another way to complete a theory test for those who are not computer literate and cannot comprehend the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49773/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for all aspects of the National Driving Test Service. Neither I nor my officials are involved in the service at an operational level. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.

Pending this more detailed response, I am aware the Driver Theory Test provider offers various options to accommodate candidates who may require special assistance to take their test. Additional supports include a voiceover option whereby the questions and answers are read out to the candidate over headphones. Additional time may allowed for the candidate to take the test. There is also a reader recorder service whereby a staff member will read the questions and answer options to the candidate and record their answers on screen. Other services offered include dyslexia support, professional and Irish Sign Language (ISL) video clips, or ISL interpreters.

Test Day Assistance and Support Services must be booked in advance by calling 0818 606 106 or via the postal application form available for download at: theorytest.ie/general-information/test-day-assistance-support/.

The RSA assures my department that they continuously seek to review its services to ensure customers are supported and welcomes the feedback of customers and their advocates.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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158. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review correspondence regarding a driving test cancellation (details supplied); if measures will be taken to avoid short-notice cancellations in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49785/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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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 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 detailed response, I am informed that, although uncommon, the RSA must cancel tests at short notice on occasion. This could be due to a weather warning being in place or a tester being ill, for example. If a test is cancelled by the RSA, the candidate is then placed on a priority list and should normally receive another booking invitation within a few days of the cancelled test.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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159. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that, despite reports to the contrary, waits for driving test appointments appear to be increasing; to address a person’s experience of wait times (details supplied) for both a first-time appointment and a subsequent retest appointment; the most recent steps to address the issue of waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49801/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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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 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 overall 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. 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). As of 5 September there were 13 centres above target, and while wait times have reduced at those centres it is important that the RSA continues to focus on addressing the higher wait times at these centres. It should also be noted that new driver test centres in Sandyford and Drogheda are in the final stages and are expected to be operational shortly. This should contribute to further reducing wait times in those areas.

Furthermore, I am informed by the RSA that with the increased testing capacity in the service from the recruitment of new testers, the RSA expect to invite everyone currently on the retest list within the next 8-10 weeks.

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.