135. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Transport the average waiting time for a driving test at the Ennis, Kilrush and Shannon driving test centres in each of the past three years; the current waiting time, in tabular form; and the measures being taken to reduce delays. [53024/26]

136. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Transport the pass rate for driving tests during 2026 at the Ennis, Kilrush and Shannon driving test centres, in tabular form. [53025/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together.

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for all aspects of the National Driver Testing Service. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the Authority for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.

Pending this response, the latest information provided to me by the RSA indicates that, as of end June, the average waiting time for an invitation to book a driving test at the Ennis, Kilrush, and Shannon test centres was 11-weeks, 12-weeks, and 11-weeks respectively. I am assured by the RSA that work is continuing to reduce the waiting time in line with the target 10-week service level agreement.

With regard to driver testers, I am pleased that as of end June, the full sanctioned complement of 200 testers is employed by the RSA, which is a significant increase on the 151 testers available at the beginning of 2025 and a doubling of permanent posts since June 2022.

I would encourage learner drivers awaiting a test to monitor the driver testing booking system which makes available cancelled test slots for candidates to take up at short notice across the service.

The Deputy may wish to note that detailed statistics on the National Driver Testing Service, by county and test centre, are made available on the CSO website on a monthly basis and can be accessed via the following link: www.data.cso.ie/product/rsadts