Irish hauliers accuse the RSA of ‘massaging' driving test wait times
|
35 mins ago
THE IRISH ROAD HAULAGE Association (IRHA) has accused the RSA of 'massaging' figures for waiting lists for driving tests for cars by moving testing away from buses and trucks.
Last week,
the RSA reported a 'significant drop' in driving test wait times.
It said that as of 12 July, the average national waiting time to receive a driving test invitation has dropped to 14.4 weeks, surpassing the RSA's mid-July target of 18 weeks by 20%.
The RSA added that this
marked a further improvement from the 16.3 weeks recorded two weeks previous
, and a 'dramatic' reduction from the peak of 27 weeks at the end of April.
The RSA also said it 'remains firmly on course to achieve its long-term goal of bringing average waiting times down to 10 weeks by September'.
A spokesperson said the progress was due to a 'series of targeted measures to expand capacity and streamline operations', such as additional testers and planned new testing centres in Drogheda and Sandyford which are due to become operational by September.
However, the IRHA today claimed that that RSA is achieving this reduction in waiting times by 'moving testers from articulated truck, bus and truck testing to car testing'.
The IRHA added that waiting times have reduced for car driving tests but have 'increased exponentially for commercial driving tests'.
It said that between April and June, there's been a 42% increase in wait times for trucks (42%) and a 40% increase for articulated trucks.
The IRHA also pointed to a 'backlog in the testing of bus drivers' and said that this is a 'crisis in the making for the commercial driving industry'.
Ger Hyland, president of the IRHA, claimed that the RSA decided to move testers away from buses and truck and towards cars due to 'intense political pressure'.
Hyland described it as 'effectively robbing Peter to pay Paul at a time when the haulage sector is desperately short on drivers'.
'Young Irish drivers who need a license to drive a bus, truck or HGV cannot get licenses because the RSA have all but stopped commercial testing to focus on car testing,' said Hyland.
Advertisement
'They have pulled the wool over this government's eyes and instead of dealing with the high demand for testing, they decided to simply move the deck chairs around the Titanic.'
He added that some companies are 'forced to bring in drivers from South Africa instead whilst young Irish people are forced to move abroad and drive there'.
'The RSA know that the car testing figures are what will garner more media and political focus,' said Hyland.
'That is why they moved their resources there, at the expense of the commercial driving sector – they just moved the driving test crisis from cars to commercial vehicles, leading to severe backlogs in the testing system for bus, HGV and truck drivers.
'These are the drivers we need to bring tourists around, deliver goods and keep our economy running.'
Hyland went on to say that the RSA is 'clearly not fit for purpose' and called for it to be removed from the driver testing system 'before any more damage to the Irish economy is done'.
In a statement to
The Journal
, the RSA said it is 'fully committed to delivering fair and timely access to driving tests across all licence categories'.
A spokesperson said that in May, it delivered 'record levels of Category C and D (truck and bus) tests in preparation for the release of our experienced staff from the service to support the training of our new recruits'.
The spokesperson said this resulted in a reduction of testing staff to support the higher licence categories during June and July.
'This short-term adjustment is already delivering improvements in overall capacity,' said the RSA.
'Once the new testers are fully deployed from early September, waiting times for all licence categories — including commercial — will stabilise and meet service-level agreements.'
The RSA said that at the end of June, 2,738 people were awaiting a truck or bus driving test.
It added that these individuals will be issued with an invitation in the coming weeks and that the RSA expects to exceed testing for the higher categories in 2025 when compared to last year.
The RSA added: 'We note in recent months, the IRHA expressed concern about long waiting times for car driving tests, warning of the 'safety risks' that delays were contributing to potentially more unaccompanied learner drivers sharing the road with professional HGV drivers.
'Addressing that issue has been a national priority.'
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
43 minutes ago
- Sunday World
Irish influencer Nasti_2k ‘unaware of probe' into promotion of unregulated trading platform
In recent months, Dubliner Jonathan Finlay has been encouraging his social media followers to sign up to the Seychelles-registered service Irish influencer Jonathan Finlay has said he is 'not aware of any ongoing investigation by the Central Bank into his affairs' or his promotion of an unregulated trading platform. Mr Finlay (25), who goes by Nasti_2k online, has amassed 856,000 followers on his TikTok and Instagram accounts from posting food content. The Dubliner has repeatedly claimed he makes 'no money whatsoever' from social media and his main source of income is from trading. 'In Ireland, they [Instagram and TikTok] don't pay; you don't get paid for your likes, views or followers,' he said in a video posted on instant messaging app Telegram. Mr Finlay said he has been able to afford to fly first-class on '11 or 12 holidays' this year, 'all because of trading'. In recent months, the influencer has been encouraging his followers to sign up to T4Trade, an offshore platform registered in the Seychelles. He has a 'VIP group' on Telegram, where he charges a €1,000 'entry fee' to join so users can copy the trades he uses to make money. The TikToker had been making the group free to join to 'celebrate' his own successful investments, with subscribers told they need minimum starting funds of €300. I'm taking on these people free of charge once you follow these steps 'This is your funds that you will trade with, NOT a fee or anything! I'm taking on these people free of charge once you follow these steps,' he says. 'By joining the VIP you'll get access to: my daily trades, 24/7 support to help you get up and running and help with any issues; and educational material. 'Send a screenshot of your dashboard to me when you complete the sign up and deposit. I'll get you added into the trading channel and get you started ASAP.' In another video, he referenced how his VIP group has more than 2,000 members who are making 'hundreds week-on-week' from trading. 'Are you happy with how much money you're making? Ninety per cent plus people said they're not and I think back to that time when I was working like a slave, 7pm to 7am, five or six days a week, and I just wish someone gave me an opportunity to make a side income that could potentially turn into your main income, and I wanna do that for you guys,' he said T4Trade states its website is not directed at EU residents and 'falls outside the European regulatory framework'. The site includes a risk warning that says its products 'carry a high level of risk and it is possible to lose all your capital'. Several regulators have issued warnings against the company. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK said: 'This firm may be providing financial services or products without our authorisation. You should avoid dealing with this firm.' Last year, the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (DFSA) claimed Danish influencers were 'soliciting their followers to invest with T4Trade's investment platform' and warned that people would not get their money back 'if things go wrong' because the company is not authorised to offer financial services in Denmark. The Central Bank of Ireland in Dublin. Photo: Jason Alden/Bloomberg When asked if it was investigating any complaints against T4Trade, the Central Bank of Ireland said it is 'bound by strict statutory obligations of confidentiality and is precluded from commenting on the specific investigations it undertakes'. While it had been reported that the Central Bank was 'looking into the matter', Mr Finlay said he had not been made aware of any investigation. In response to queries from the Irish Independent, Lavelle Solicitors, instructed by Mr Finlay, said: 'Our client is not aware of any ongoing investigation by the Central Bank into his affairs, nor has he received any contact from the Central Bank in relation to any ongoing investigation into T4Trade.' Mr Finlay, who has a master's degree in digital marketing from UCD, said he has not been giving any financial advice. We have instructions to take all necessary steps to protect our client's reputation 'In so far as your queries relate to T4Trade or contain allegations against T4Trade, we suggest that you direct your queries to that entity,' Lavelle Solicitors said. The statement went on to claim that 'factually inaccurate' information had been previously published about Mr Finlay's relationship with T4Trade. 'In the event that any defamatory content is published about our client, we have instructions to take all necessary steps to protect our client's reputation'. The Irish Independent contacted T4Trade for comment. If consumers deal with a financial firm that is not authorised, there is no recourse to statutory compensation schemes or the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman. 'Whether a particular entity or individual requires to be registered or authorised by the Central Bank depends on the exact nature of the services provided by the entity or individual,' the Central Bank said. T4Trade advises people about different trading methods, including Forex trading, which involves buying one currency while selling another. Traders try to speculate on how these will change in value. Jonathan Finlay, aka Nasti_2k, has 856,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram from posting food content News in 90 Seconds - Sunday, August 3rd
The Journal
3 hours ago
- The Journal
Why did Helsinki have zero road deaths in the last year - and could Ireland achieve the same?
LAST UPDATE | 2 hrs ago IN THE 12 months to August, not one person died in a road traffic collision in Helsinki, Finland. The feat may sound impossible to Ireland, which has seen a steady increase in the number of road fatalities in recent years. So far this year, 95 people have died on Irish roads. In 2023, the Road Safety Authority launched their 'Vision Zero' campaign, which aimed to achieve zero road deaths by 2050. However, as people continued to lose their lives, the RSA pivoted to more provocative messaging. The most recent ad campaign shows blood on the hands of those who drink drive, as well as those who don't call it out. Helsinki, a city with a population of 690,000, really has achieved 'Vision Zero'. Advertisement It's come close before. In 2019, no pedestrians or cyclists were killed in road traffic collisions, and just two people in vehicles died. The city's authorities have been trying to replicate the feat for the last five years. Now, after a full 12 months with no fatalities, The Journal asked how they managed it – and whether they have any tips for Ireland. Need for (less) speed Roni Utriainen, a traffic engineer with the city's Urban Environment Division, says a multitude of factors come into play, but perhaps the most transformative has been speed. More than half of the streets of Helsinki now have speed limits of 30km/h – a significant reduction on the 50km/h limits of the 1980s. Statistically, one in ten pedestrians hit by car travelling at 30km/h will die of their injuries. Whereas if a car is travelling at 50km/h, the likelihood of being killed is five in ten. Helsinki has also made other changes to discourage speeding. Narrower streets, Utriainen says, make a difference to a driver's boldness. As well as that, 70 new speed cameras have been installed around the city in the last seven years. Related Reads Irish car bonnets are getting taller every year, risking children's and pedestrians' lives - study Fianna Fáil TD says learner drivers should be allowed drive a car unaccompanied Dublin TD calls for SUV-free zones as study shows these cars are more likely to kill There are also fewer people driving cars. 'Helsinki has a rather good public transport network,' he says. 'This also reduces the number of crashes, because more people take a tram, or metro or bus line.' To expand on this, the city has plans to construct a so-called cycling 'super highway'. Utriainen says that another factor for the reduction in road deaths may be that residents of Helsinki have a better attitude to their fellow road users. 'I would say that drivers give way in most cases to pedestrians,' he said. 'It's more about overall culture and overall society.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Agriland
3 hours ago
- Agriland
Tanaiste Outlines Steps Govt Taking in Mercosur Negotiations
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris has said that he has discussed international trade developments, including the Mercosur agreement, with his counterparts from France and Germany, among others. The Tánaiste was asked about the steps he is taking to protect environmental and agricultural interests in the Mercosur trade negotiations by Social Democrats TD, Sinéad Gibney yesterday (July 10). According to the Tánaiste, EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) support more opportunity for trade and investment, help support jobs and growth at home, maintain strict EU standards on food safety, animal and plant health, and support better environmental and human rights standards around the world. He said: "The government is committed to supporting free, fair and open trade. Indeed, recent developments in the global trading environment have highlighted the importance of market diversification via an expanded set of EU free trade agreements. "We have always been clear, that such agreements must defend our most vulnerable sectors and that our farmers' livelihoods must not be undermined through weak or ineffective environmental standards in other countries." "Our position is clearly outlined in the Programme for Government, which states that the government will work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for Irish farmers and defend our interests in opposing the current Mercosur trade deal," The Tánaiste explained. The Tánaiste claims, that during trade negotiations, the government has always been guided by "standing up for and defending the interests of Irish farmers", along with securing enhanced market access opportunities for them and Irish agri-food exports. He explained: "Since the commission announced the conclusion of negotiations, officials from my department and other departments, have been working together to carefully analyse the text of the additional legal instrument addressing sustainability commitments. "I and my officials have continued to engage at EU level, with both the European Commission and with counterparts in EU Member States, including like-minded countries, to voice our concerns with the agreement and to interrogate the outcome of negotiations to assess if our concerns have been adequately addressed." "In recent weeks and months, I have discussed international trade developments including the Mercosur agreement with my counterparts from France and Germany, among others," the Tánaiste added. The Tánaiste highlighted that the government is still awaiting the European Commission's presentation of the final, consolidated agreement. He explained that engagements with the European Commission are ongoing as the government seeks "sufficient clarification" on the priority areas in advance of any final decision on the agreement.
