Drogheda is the largest town in Ireland with a population of more than 80,000, yet since March it has had no driver testing centre. A total of 2,700 people who applied to sit their test in Drogheda must go elsewhere to towns they neither live in nor know well. A freedom of information request shows that of the significant number of centres turned down by the Road Safety Authority, two were found suitable. One is at the Mell Road recycling centre. There was no problem with this site but the Road Safety Authority turned it down because of the local authority ramps outside; that these were a danger to their drivers to use. I believe the answer there is to change the ramps and not to turn down a driving test centre. The second site was the Platin Road site, which was found to be fine and suitable. It was turned down because the Road Safety Authority does not want to put prefabs on that site or pay for them. This is unacceptable. I would appreciate if the Minister would raise this matter urgently with the Road Safety Authority.

A commitment was given in 2022 to close the driver testing centre at Marian Park in Drogheda by the end of February, as the lease on that site expired. This test site was always a temporary solution. There is no question, however, that with a town and region as large as Drogheda and the surrounding areas, the provision of alternative driver testing facilities is very important. I do not have an update for the Deputy right now but I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, about it and get him to respond to the Deputy directly.