328 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number on the waiting list for a driving test in south Tipperary; the average waiting time; the percentage who passed the driving test in south Tipperary in each of the years from 1996 to 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3019/00]

There are currently 1,747 applicants on the waiting list for driving tests in Clonmel and Tipperary town driving test centres. Of these, 588 have been given test appointments and a further 385 have indicated that they are not currently available to be tested.

The average waiting time by centre is not available due to limitations in the IT systems involved; however, the longest waiting times at end January 2000 in the Clonmel and Tipperary test centres were 22 and 24 weeks respectively. The percentage of test applicants who passed the driving test in these centres in each of the years from 1996 to 1999 is set out in the following table.