Driver theory test delays
Deputy Kerrane raised repeated cancellations and delays to driver theory tests, especially affecting rural young people. The Taoiseach said test centres were reopening, capacity was increasing, and online testing was being expanded.
I have been contacted by a number of young people, in particular in Roscommon and Galway, who had applied for their driver theory tests and been given their dates, but have since got letters cancelling them and rescheduling them. In one case, this has happened seven times. A young person who was due to do the theory test tomorrow has got a letter to say it is cancelled and rescheduled for 4 August, in six weeks' time. This is particularly a problem for young people in rural areas who want to take up summer work in the midst of silage season and, hopefully, hay in the next few weeks. It is obviously a problem for those in rural areas, where we do not have public transport as an alternative.
I understand additional resources have been put in place, which I welcome, but I ask the Minister for Transport to look at the issue of cancellations and at whether this issue is widespread. He should also examine if additional resources are needed for the National Driver Licence Service, which is providing the licences. There is now a four-week wait for provisional licences after people pass the theory test. I ask that this is looked at to ensure we get tests for people as quickly as possible.
Comment on this
As the Deputy knows, we pursued this as part of the reopening of society. The gradual reopening of in-person driver theory test centres commenced from 8 June. The Road Safety Authority reopened test centres and introduced capacity to increase the number of tests from an average of 15,000 tests to 25,000 tests monthly to tackle the backlog and shorten waiting times. Capacity will gradually increase to 50,000 tests monthly, when public health guidance permits.
The pilot online driver theory test has been running for truck and bus categories and is now being extended to include a limited number of car and motorbike tests. The new offering would see 4,000 online theory tests available for all categories of vehicles in June and that will be increased again in July. I will speak to the Minister for Transport but he is not operationally involved with specific appointments and cancellations, which I think is understood.