Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2026
213. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the steps his Department is taking to reduce the lengthy waiting time for driving test appointments at test centres in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49434/26]
View answer214. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 52 of 8 May 2025, the number of driving test assessors currently assigned to test centres in Cork; the further measures that have been undertaken to restore the service to target levels in Cork and nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49435/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 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.
The latest information provided to me by the RSA indicates that as of 13 June, the average waiting time for an invitation to book a test in Cork was approximately 10.2 weeks, slightly above the Service Level Agreement of 10 weeks.
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 13 June, 194 testers were in place, which marks a significant increase on the 151 available at the beginning of 2025. The RSA is working to achieve the full sanctioned complement of 200 testers subject to ongoing training and onboarding of new recruits.
At the end of May, I am informed that 21 driver testers were assigned to test centres in County Cork, however, to manage demand effectively at national level, testers, although formally assigned to specific centres, are routinely deployed to other locations as required.
In addition, 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.
