What is being done to tackle the massive backlog of driver theory tests? It is my understanding that online testing was piloted for tractor drivers and the plan was to begin online testing for car drivers. What is the update on that? Are we increasing the number of testers to cope with the demand? I have had many emails and phone calls from people who want to know why they are being offered tests in different counties and having tests in their own counties cancelled? That has been raised with staff in my constituency office several times. Next Monday is 10 May and we are all delighted to see that we are starting to reopen. There is great excitement out there but this is such an important issue. I have had emails from students and from people who need a car to get to work. We need a plan and we need to improve the communication on this.

I understand that this is a burning issue. People need to get on the road, particularly younger people in rural Ireland but also in urban Ireland, to go to college and take up employment opportunities. We need to get on top of the backlog that was created by the pandemic. I am not 100% across the announcement yesterday but I understand that some services will reopen and an additional 40 staff will be taken on to help get through the backlog. Work is being done on an online driver theory test which will help with the situation as well. I am not 100% across it but that is the plan of action. I agree that we need to get through the backlog quickly so that people can get to college and to work.