Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

70. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to significant delays in a driving test centre (details supplied); the average wait time for a test at this location; the actions he will take to engage with the RSA to address these delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17805/26]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

71. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the average wait time for a Category B driving test in (details supplied); the way in which this compares to other test centres across the country, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17806/26]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 71 together.

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. Therefore, the information requested by the Deputy is held by the Authority. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.

Pending this response, The Deputy will be aware that reducing driver test waiting times has been one of my key priorities since taking office. To that end, in May 2025, I directed the RSA to produce and publish a service recovery plan to meet the 10-week average national waiting time target by September 2025, which had been achieved.

The latest information provided to me by the RSA indicates that as of 21 February the average waiting time for a driving test in Dún Laoghaire/Deansgrange was approximately 21 weeks. While this marks a significant improvement on the 35-week average wait time in April 2025, it remains well above the target 10-week average national wait time and I expect the RSA to continue to work to bring the wait time in Dún Laoghaire/Deansgrange in line with the 10-week target as soon as possible. I am informed by the RSA that it is continuing to focus on addressing centres with higher demand and wait times.

I have met with RSA senior management regularly on their delivery of the driver testing service recovery plan in recent months and in these discussions, emphasised the importance of opening new testing locations to relieve pressures in high-demand areas. I am informed by the Authority that the new test centre in Sandyford is at the final stages of preparation, and the assigned testers are presently deployed to a nearby centre in readiness for its opening while ensuring testing volumes continue to be managed effectively. I understand, however, that the RSA is just one party to the agreement of leases, and that private landlords must also go through their due diligence and assurance processes. The new centre in Sandyford can be expected to relieve some of the pressure on wait times in Dun Laoghaire and Tallaght, where wait times are currently above the 10-week period and where demand is typically very high.

Additionally, in September 2024, my Department conveyed sanction for 70 additional driver testing posts on a permanent basis, bringing the permanent sanction to 200, which represents a doubling of permanent posts since June 2022. As of 21 February, 194 testers were in place, which marks a significant increase on the 151 available at the beginning of 2025. The RSA is working to reach its full complement of 200 testers this year subject to the next successful training and onboarding of new recruits.

The RSA has also indicated that overtime and bank holiday testing will continue in 2026. This will also allow the RSA to mitigate the impact on testing during winter and early spring months as a result of shorter days and inclement weather. I would also highlight that, to manage demand effectively at national level, testers, although formally assigned to specific centres, are routinely deployed to other locations as required.

The driver testing booking system now makes available cancelled test slots for candidates to take up at short notice. I would encourage learner drivers awaiting a test to monitor this channel, which may provide an opportunity to book an earlier testing date.

Finally, the Deputy may wish to note that the statistics for waiting times for individual test centres are made available on the CSO website on a monthly basis and can be accessed via the following link: data.cso.ie/product/rsadts

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

72. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the adequacy of the management of the driving test system by the RSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17808/26]

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

Since taking office, reducing driver test waiting times has been a key priority for me. in May 2025, I directed the RSA to produce and publish a service recovery plan to meet the 10-week average national waiting time target by September 2025, which the RSA achieved.

The latest information available to me from the RSA indicates that as of 21 February the average national waiting time for a driving test was 11.2 weeks. This marks a significant improvement on the 27-week average wait time in April 2025. The RSA is continuing to work towards ensuring that the target of a 10 week waiting period as outlined in its service level agreement is achieved.

In September 2024, my Department conveyed sanction for 70 additional driver testing posts on a permanent basis, bringing the permanent sanction to 200, which represents a doubling of permanent posts since June 2022. As of 21 February, 194 testers were in place, which marks a significant increase on the 151 available at the beginning of 2025. The RSA is working to reach its full complement of 200 testers this year subject to the next successful training and onboarding of new recruits.

The RSA has also indicated that overtime and bank holiday testing will continue in 2026. This will also allow the RSA to mitigate the impact on testing during winter, early spring months as a result of shorter days and inclement weather. I would also highlight that, to manage demand effectively at national level, testers, although formally assigned to specific centres, are routinely deployed to other locations as required.

In addition a new test centre opened in Mitchelstown in December and I am informed that new test centres in Drogheda and Sandyford are expected to be operational shortly. This should assist in reducing average wait times in those areas.