Tá fadhb ann. Tá tiománaithe óga ag fanacht ró-fhada lena gcuid tástálacha a dhéanamh agus níl sé sin ceart.

Last week, the temporary driving test centre in Marian Park closed, leaving 2,717 customers who have applied for a driving test in Drogheda having to transfer their application to an alternative centre, such as Navan or Dundalk. Bear in mind that, at the end of December, the estimated waiting time for Drogheda was 38 weeks; in Navan, 32 weeks; and in Dundalk, 27 weeks. The centre in Marian Park was a temporary solution for the past two years to deliver driving tests in Drogheda. The Road Safety Authority, RSA, knew the lease was expiring and was aware of the opposition of the residents of Marian Park to an extension. The authority failed to find a permanent site, and local learners will be the ones affected as they are left in limbo waiting on a test.

This will cause financial hardship to young people. With no experience driving in a different town or county, they will have to pay for additional lessons and the cost of fuel, as well as incurring high insurance costs as a provisional driver. Not only that, the emissions this extra travel will produce are an environmental disaster.

I understand the RSA has said applicants will not lose their place in the queue and instead will slot into the queue relative to other candidates who have already applied to the new centre. However, with backlogs and long waiting times in all named test centres, working conditions and staff retention issues are another worry.

I understand there are currently only four testers in Navan for a population of 223,000. These testers work on a contract basis. Once a tester has been in the position for four years, they have to be made permanent, but I know of testers who were let go before they made the four-year mark.

We need to look at the council-owned site in Mell, which has previously been proposed and assessed by the RSA and Louth County Council. This break in continuity of test service in Drogheda is not good enough. I strongly believe this site fits the bill for test service delivery. We need to seriously invest funding into the chaos surrounding testing throughout Ireland.

My constituents in Louth and east Meath deserve better. They deserve timely tests, whether they be driving tests or NCT tests, so that they are road safe and their lives are not impacted. People on provisional licences cannot drive alone. What if they need to drive to work? A constituent came to my office last week who is in a very serious position in respect of this issue. Being able to drive opens up employment and social benefits.

I understand there are several factors causing great delays, but everything must be done to reduce these long waiting times for learners. We must invest in a new testing centre, as well as in the sector overall, to reduce wait times so constituents do not incur additional costs or disadvantages because of testing delays.

The RSA announced in December 2022 that it had found a suitable site, and the responsibility for the opening of the new centre rests with its facilities management team. What happened? Will the Taoiseach please clarify the current situation regarding finding a new site for the Drogheda test centre? As I said, 2,717 people are on the waiting list, which is unfair and unacceptable. I ask the Ministers for Finance and Transport to please invest in enhancing these services. It is a requirement for road safety, and for some, it is a requirement for their livelihood.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as a cheist. Aontaím go bhfuil fadhb ann leis an ionad tástála tiomána i nDroichead Átha. Ba mhaith liom an fhadhb a réiteach agus ionad nua a chruthú sa bhaile sin.

The Road Safety Authority has statutory responsibility for the national driving test service, including the locations and operation of driving test centres. A commitment was given last year to close the test centre in Marian Park, Drogheda, by the end of February this year as the lease expired. The site was always a temporary solution while the RSA tried to find a more suitable location. That work is ongoing. The RSA has reviewed several options in the area but has not to date found a suitable alternative location. It is important the site of the test centre does not in itself create unnecessary disruption for communities, particularly in counties Louth and Meath.

The 3,000 customers who applied for a test in Drogheda will be advised that the Drogheda test centre is now closed and will be asked to transfer to Navan, Dundalk or another centre. If, after two weeks, they have not moved their application, they will be integrated into the Dundalk waiting list from the date on which they applied to Drogheda. They will not lose their place in the queue and will slot into the queue relative to candidates who have applied in Dundalk. Dundalk is a much larger centre with more driver testers assigned to it.

The current average waiting time for an invitation to a driving test is 21 weeks, far above the service level agreement of ten weeks. The waiting time in Drogheda is much worse: it was 43 weeks at the beginning of the month. It is not a tenable situation when people have to wait almost a year to get their driving test. This is driven by increased demand. Applications for driving tests have increased 30% since the pandemic. The Department of Transport is working closely with the RSA to try to relieve this. The Department has sanctioned an increase in the number of permanent driver testers from 100 to 130. Demand for tests has gone up by 27%; we will increase the number of testers by 30%. We believe that will get us on top of the backlog.

As the Taoiseach knows, one of the most important things is achieving a driving licence. In three very large towns, Dundalk, Drogheda and Navan, the situation is getting worse. I got an email yesterday from a young man in Navan and he is saying the exact same thing. He is getting on and trying to apply for a test. Every time he is on, they tell him to come back in another week and another week. I passed my driving test when I was 18 and it opened up so many opportunities. There are nearly 3,000 people waiting in Drogheda, there are two other big towns in the region, and the Taoiseach is telling me this will help the situation, but it will get worse and worse.

This has been going on for two years. The RSA knew what was happening and that, in two years’ time, it would have to find another place. It has been looking with Louth County Council and has found a site. It is only the stroke of a pen, a very simple thing. This young fella from Meath has lost an opportunity to get a job. He has to defer going to college. He has no way of getting transport. The situation could be sorted out in a matter of days. I plead with the Taoiseach to sort out the situation for these young people and the 3,000 people stuck in Drogheda.

I passed my driving test at 18 as well, though it was my second attempt. A little like my electoral record, it took two attempts to succeed. I understand the importance of having a full licence. It is about being able to get a job, as the Deputy said, being able to get around, get to college and do whatever people need to do. It is a major restriction on people’s freedom not to be able to have a full licence. I do not accept, though, that a change is just the stroke of a pen. I am a former Minister for road safety and have met family members of people killed by an unaccompanied driver.

Unfortunately, it is a simple fact that people who have not passed their driving test are more at risk of harming themselves or others. An increase in injuries, deaths and disabilities caused by driving accidents on the road would be a worse outcome than people having to wait 20 or 40 weeks for a test. It is not a nice choice to have to make, but it is the right one. We will do everything we can to get the waiting list down, and the 30% increase in testers will make a difference.

The driving test centre was at a temporary location for two years.