Driving tests in Cavan and Monaghan
Deputy Smyth said learner drivers in Cavan and Monaghan were frustrated by the continuing backlog and restrictions on driving lessons and tests. The Minister said an early return of tests was the solution, subject to public health advice, and that online theory testing would help clear the backlog.
I raise the backlog in the driver theory test and driving tests, which must be dealt with as a matter of urgency. I appreciate the Government has decided to take a very safe, gradual and phased approach to reopening some driver test centres through the RSA, which commenced on 10 May. That is welcome. However, learner drivers across counties Cavan and Monaghan are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress. As things stand, only essential workers can sit the driving test and the same applies to people wanting to take driving lessons. Many constituents of mine, and their parents, have contacted my office about this. Parents ultimately take the brunt of this in constituencies like Cavan-Monaghan where we do not have the same public transport infrastructure as elsewhere. If young people do not have that mode of transport to get to work, college or wherever they need to go, parents have to take them. I ask that particular resources be put into the Cavan and Monaghan area to address this.
Comment on this
Most of the emails I get are probably on this issue. The Ceann Comhairle would be aware of this from his contact with the public. It is a huge issue, as I said earlier. The solution will be an early return to tests, but we have to take that in the context of public health advice. The job of public health, rightly, has been to minimise all social contact, particularly anything indoors. Being able to do the theory test, particularly online, will help to overcome that problem.
I expect it to be one of the services that will return soonest in order to allow us to address the backlog, not just by means of the traditional 15,000 theory tests a month but by a multiple thereof. Doing that number of tests will facilitate young people in getting back to work.
It will be the same with driving tests. That will take slightly longer because, obviously, one cannot do a driving test online. By definition, a driving test takes place on the road. In the previous opening-up period, we appointed an additional 40 testers. We will double that again, as needs be, in order to get the queues down.