Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 June 2026
28. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Transport the number of driving test applicants currently waiting longer than the RSA target waiting time for a driving test in each test centre; and the measures being taken to reduce waiting times. [44221/26]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the RSA 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 31 May, the national average waiting time to sit a driving test was 12.3-weeks. While this marks a significant improvement on the 27-week national average wait time in April 2025, it remains above the Service Level Agreement target of 10-weeks. I am assured by the RSA that work is continuing to reduce the waiting times in line with the 10 week target.
The long-term solution to driver testing waiting times is increasing capacity with the recruitment of additional driver testers. In September 2024, my Department conveyed sanction for 70 additional driver testing posts on a permanent basis, bringing the permanent sanction for driver testers to 200. This represents a doubling of permanent posts since June 2022. As of 31 May, 190 testers were in place, which marks a significant increase on the 151 available at the beginning of 2025. The RSA is working to reach its full sanctioned complement of 200 testers subject to training and onboarding of new recruits. To manage demand effectively at national level, testers, although formally assigned to specific centres, are routinely deployed to other locations as required.
The driver testing booking system also makes available cancelled test slots for candidates to take up at short notice. I would encourage learner drivers awaiting a test to monitor this channel, which may provide an opportunity to book an earlier testing date.
The Deputy may also 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: https://data.cso.ie/product/rsadts
