The backlog of applicants for the driver theory test has been raised by many Deputies in recent weeks and months. The answer given has been that the test would be going online, and I was delighted to see that it did go online on the Road Safety Authority, RSA, website yesterday. Several constituents have contacted me about this issue to say that when they attempted to register for the test that the results keep showing no availability. Is the system operational yet, or is this a glitch? I tried it myself and it did not work. The response that kept coming up was that there was no availability for any dates in May, June or July. Many young people are seeking to sit the driver theory test to allow them to get a job at a local farm, perhaps driving a tractor, during the summer. They cannot do that without having sat the test first. How many people will be accommodated via this online method? If the backlog cannot be cleared in a timely fashion, could a temporary W category licence be allocated to those young people?

I thank Deputy Tully for raising this important issue. The RSA has begun offering the driver theory test online on a pilot basis and, as such, only a limited number of places are available. The RSA will offer more than 3,000 online tests in June and it aims to increase this number in the coming months, subject to the pilot not raising security or other issues. A key priority for the Government is to move to in-person theory tests as soon as the public health situation allows to allow people to undertake driver training. In light of the significant backlog of customers awaiting tests, the RSA is also working to increase capacity in its physical testing centres. This will see the number of tests in centres increase from an average of approximately 15,000 tests per month, pre-Covid-19, to build up to 50,000 per month gradually, once the service reopens. We are moving in a step-by-step approach to open driver training and testing and in recent weeks essential driver training and testing has been opened on a limited basis for non-essential workers, as well as motorcycle training and testing.