Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
405. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport the current waiting time for driving tests as the Killester test centre; the reason some applicants have been waiting significantly longer for a test date than the publicly listed waiting time of ten weeks; the efforts being made to reduce waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28524/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. This includes all testing and scheduling matters. Therefore, the information requested by the Deputy is held by the Authority. 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. The Deputy may also wish to note that the statistics for waiting times for individual test centres are made available on the CSO website on a monthly basis and can be accessed via the following link: https://data.cso.ie/table/ROA36 .
Pending this response, the latest information provided to me by the RSA indicates that as of 4 April, the average driver test wait time at the Killester test centre was 17-weeks. I am assured by the RSA that it is continuing to work to bring the wait time in Killester down in line with the 10 week average target as soon as possible.
The long-term solution to driver test waiting times lies in 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 4 April, 193 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 complement of 200 testers later this year subject to the next successful training and onboarding of new recruits, which is continuing.
In addition, the driver testing booking system now 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.
It should be noted that, while the current national average wait time of 11.9 weeks as at 4 April is above the target level of 10 weeks the RSA has indicated that the service continues to see higher demand, with 20% more applications received at end March when compared to the same period in 2025. A factor in the current higher demand for testing is the tightening of the restrictions on multiple learner permits, as drivers seek tests before the new restrictions come into effect later this year. Driver test service improvements allowed me to sign regulations to end the practice of learner drivers continually rolling over learner permits without ever sitting a driving test and these regulations will take effect from 1 November 2026. As the Deputy will be aware from a road safety perspective, it is vital that learners complete the learning to drive process and become fully qualified drivers, and that people do not hold learner permits without ever taking a driving test.
