Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
218. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Transport to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he or his Department have considered reviewing the exam; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33942/26]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for all aspects of the National Driving Test Service, including the Theory Test. Neither I nor my officials are involved in the service at an operational level. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.
Pending this response, the Deputy may wish to note that Action 7A of the Phase 2 Action Plan of the Government's Road Safety Strategy, states that the RSA will lead to 'enhance the learning to drive programme based on evidence from international best practice, in tandem with improvements in the driving test'.
The objective of this work is to ensure the learning to drive programme is fit for purpose, future-proofed, and capable of adapting to advancements in vehicle technology while considering international best practice. The RSA is currently conducting a comprehensive review of the driver testing curriculum, in partnership with the Queensland University of Technology with a view to bringing forward recommendations in the coming months.
