Latest news with #BrendanWalsh
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Irish Times
Driving testers working evenings, weekends and bank holidays to clear backlog, RSA says
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is 'steadfast in its dedication' to lower the average waiting time for a driving test to 10 weeks by September, its chief executive told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport this morning. Sam Waide recognised the 'ongoing frustration' felt by the public on this issue and said it 'is not a situation that any of us consider acceptable'. Last week, the average waiting time to secure a test was 19.7 weeks, a slight drop from a May figure of 20.6 weeks, itself a notable decrease from 27 weeks in April this year. Recognising this goal as 'ambitious', he and fellow RSA representatives said they were 'very confident' it would be achieved due to the 'largest ever recruitment exercise in the history of the RSA' since its foundation in 2006. READ MORE [ About 600 learners fail to show for driving tests each month – RSA Opens in new window ] With a recruitment drive that aims to have 200 trained testers working full-time by September, an increase from the current figure of 152, testers have also been working extended hours and across different testing centres. RSA chief operations officer Brendan Walsh said testers are now working evenings and weekends, including bank holidays. He said 700 driving tests took place on the Monday of the June bank holiday weekend. They 'are working under significant pressure', however, the goal to increase supply is 'not just a target but a national imperative for the RSA', Mr Waide said. The organisation conducted 157,183 driving tests in 2021, which rose to 253,850 in 2024. Mr Waide cited growing population, delayed demand from the pandemic , and lack of rural public transport as causes for this 61 per cent increase. The RSA will soon be in a position to accommodate up to 360,000 tests a year, Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy said, when accounting for each tester conducting up to eight tests a day. Mr Murphy said 'we should be able to bring the waiting list significantly lower' than 10 weeks under these circumstances. However, Mr Walsh said 'I don't think it would be right from a driver education perspective [ ...] for someone to get a test in a week'. Fellow Fine Gael TD Emer Currie said people continuously not attending their driving test appointments is an 'extremely serious issue' which affects the availability of tests for others. [ Driving test logjam: how to beat the long waiting times Opens in new window ] Mr Walshe said 56,000 people are 'on three or more [learner's] permits' after failing to show up for their test, with 'a handful' of drivers on more than 10. Three hundred and seventy thousand people have a learner's permit in Ireland currently. The RSA also holds responsibility for the National Care Testing (NCT) service. The average national waiting time for an NCT assessment was 14 days last week, however the RSA expects to lower this to 12 days by the end of this month. There are currently 50 NCT testing centres across the State, with 'expansion to additional locations actively under way'.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming choices: The Zoo, All Is True and Good Boy
Live Racing: The Oaks Virgin Media One, 1pm The Derby meeting begins at Epsom with Ladies' Day, during which the third of this year's Classics, The Oaks, takes place. Live International Football RTÉ2, 7pm The Aviva Stadium hosts the first-ever match between the Republic of Ireland, who may feature Evan Ferguson, and Senegal. It's a friendly in which both managers may give fringe players a runout. The Zoo RTÉ One, 8.30pm Keeper Brendan Walsh discovers that Noel the bat has awakened too early from hibernation and, as a result, is in need of urgent medical care. Meanwhile, a team from America arrive to help remove two of Coby the Californian sea lion's teeth. A Man Called Otto RTÉ One, 9.35pm Tom Hanks heads the cast of a comedy-drama remake of a 2015 Swedish movie. He plays a grumpy widower who reluctantly becomes embroiled in the lives of his neighbours (portrayed by Mariana Treviño and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo). All Is True BBC Two, 11.30pm Drama written by Ben Elton and based on the final years of William Shakespeare's life. Kenneth Branagh plays the Bard, who returns after a 20-year absence to his wife and daughters following the destruction of his beloved Globe Theatre. Judi Dench and Ian McKellen co-star. Dept. Q Netflix, streaming now DCI Carl Morck may be an excellent investigator, but there's no hiding from the fact that he's a terrible co-worker. There's the small matter of his scathing sarcasm, which has left him without a single friend in the Edinburgh police force. Then there's the rather more serious issue of him having fatally shot a young officer and permanently injured his partner. Unsurprisingly enough, following this tragic turn of events, Morck is relegated to Department Q: a cold-case unit which was created as a publicity stunt. Although the force is thrilled to see Carl go, he soon sets about assembling a group of outcasts who are all keen to prove themselves. Yes, it does sound a bit like Slow Horses, which is quite the gauntlet for Netflix to throw. Only time will tell if it's worthy of comparison. With yer man from Leap Year (Matthew Goode) essentially playing a hybrid of Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb and Jack Lowden's River Cartwright, I wouldn't hold my breath. A Widow's Game Netflix, streaming now Picture it: August 2017. In a Valencia parking lot, a man is found stabbed seven times. The city's Homicide Group, led by a veteran inspector, races to solve the case, which appears to be a crime of passion. Their investigation soon takes a shocking turn, pointing to an unlikely suspect: Maje, the victim's seemingly sweet and stoic widow, married to him for less than a year. Mission: Impossible Fest Disney+, streaming now We can never get enough of the Mission: Impossible movies, it seems. You can now watch all the prequels to the recently released The Final Reckoning if you're so inclined. Bono: Stories of Surrender Apple TV+, streaming now Behold Bono's one-man stage show, exploring the personal experiences that have shaped him as a son, father, husband and activist. Oh, and as one of the planet's biggest rock stars. If Owen Wilson's signature shtick is more to your liking, The Stick lands Wednesday. Good Boy Prime Video, streaming now In order to combat crime in a perilous underworld, a group of former medal-winning athletes exchange the podium for police badges. In an exciting, action-packed ride, Yun Dong-ju (Park Bo-gum) and his group battle a formidable criminal syndicate. Also on Prime Video, we have season 2 of The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, courtesy of producers Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne. The Better Sister Prime Video, streaming now D'you know what society needs? More portrayals of women being pitted against each other. Based on Alafair Burke's novel, however, this eight-part thriller attempts to turn things. When media executive Chloe (Jessica Biel) and her estranged sister Nicky (Elizabeth Banks) are reunited after a murder, they must unravel long-buried family secrets to uncover the truth. Criminal Code Netflix, streaming now Season 2 of the Brazilian action series inspired by real crimes sees an elite Federal Police unit take on a ruthless gang in a high-stakes battle. For a telenovela twist, The Heart Knows follows a man who unknowingly falls for his heart donor's widow. Yep. Power Moves with Shaquille O'Neal Netflix, streaming now NBA legends Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson were among the biggest names sporting Reebok in the '90s. Now, O'Neal is trying to revive the brand's legacy and find a rising star to rep it (his son being among the potential candidates).
Agriland
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Agriland
RSA ‘action plan' shows progress on driving test wait times
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) said it has witnessed early progress under an action plan it implemented to reduce driving test wait periods. The RSA announced the comprehensive action plan – which had a target of slashing wait times by over half – last month. In early April, average wait times were 27 weeks. As of May 31, under the new action plan, these wait times have been reduced to 20.6 weeks. The RSA is targeting a 10-week wait period by September. RSA chief operations officer, Brendan Walsh said: 'While there is still a considerable journey ahead to get to the 10 weeks' SLA (service level agreement) by September, we are encouraged by the early indicators of progress.' Walsh added that over 700 tests were scheduled over the June Bank Holiday in a bid to stay on target. According to the RSA, there is currently a backlog of 100,000 applicants waiting to be tested. Action plan The RSA has implemented several measures to facilitate extra testing: Accelerated training of new testers through the use of additional training facilities; Prolonged testing hours, which include overtime during weekdays, as well as Saturdays and bank holidays – with tests running from 07:25a.m to 7:00p.m; Prioritising areas of greatest demand when issuing invitations to test in order to create a more efficient slot allocation system. On top of this, additional driving test centres will open in areas of high demand, bringing the national total to 60 centres. The number of driving tests conducted annually has steadily increased year-on-year, reflecting growing demand – from 157,183 in 2021, rising to 180,696 in 2022, 212,525 in 2023, and reaching 253,850 last year. This 2024 figure represents a 61% increase in the number of tests conducted since 2021. Chief executive officer at the RSA, Sam Waide said: 'We're asking customers to support the said: 'We're asking customers to support the effort by cancelling early if they cannot attend, so that appointments can be offered to others. 'Also, we're urging customers to ensure they prepared for their test, as over 4,000 tests so far this year couldn't be conducted for reasons such as vehicles without a valid NCT, tax, insurance or not deemed roadworthy. 'We know how frustrating and disruptive these delays are – especially for people who need a licence for work, college, or caring responsibilities. I want to offer a sincere apology to everyone who has been affected.'
The Journal
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Journal
Motorways could be added to driving test curriculum within three years
MOTORWAY DRIVING COULD become part of the driving test curriculum within three years, the head of testing and licensing at the Road Safety Authority has said. The curriculum must also be updated to take account of new technology such as automatic braking systems in modern vehicles, according to Brendan Walsh, chief operations officer at the RSA. Walsh told The Journal he lived in Germany for many years and road behaviour on the country's autobahn network was 'far better' than Irish motorway driving 'because they are taught how to drive on a motorway'. ' I believe motorway driving should be part of the curriculum,' he said. He said that if motorway driving did not become part of the legislative curriculum to acquire a driving licence, a structure needed to be put in place whereby people who would need to drive on motorways could learn to do so and could gain an understanding of proper motorway etiquette. Work on the issue is already underway within the RSA. 'Over the next couple of years we will ask for new legislation to be brought in. I would like to see meaningful change made in how we learn to drive, how we interact with young drivers, within three years,' Walsh said. Advertisement Learner drivers cannot legally drive on the Irish motorway network, which expanded significantly in the early 2000s. Older drivers Walsh added that the RSA's recent recruitment drive will allow it to engage more with already licensed drivers. This could mean using a driving simulator to see if there are any driving behaviours that could be improved, he suggested. This could help older drivers, given cars and roads will have changed since they learned to drive decades ago, he said. 'As we get older, all our reactions slow down. Maybe we've had a heart attack, maybe you've had a stroke, and you get a medical certificate saying you're competent to drive. What we want to do is to introduce a mechanism to support people to see and assess what areas of their driving need to be developed as they've got older,' Walsh said. Asked about the fact that younger drivers, rather than older drivers, are far more likely to cause a serious road accident, Walsh said he wasn't 'targeting' older drivers but simply proposing 'a facility we could make available to them'. 'It's to give the opportunity to people who [already] have tests to maybe do a recalibration of how they drive,' Walsh said. He added that he recently used a driving simulator to check his driving and was 'delighted' with the feedback he received, which drew his attention to some habits he had developed that he needed to work on. 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
The Journal
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Driving test chief rejects Fianna Fáil TD's call to let learners drive unaccompanied
THE HEAD OF driving testing at the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has roundly rejected a Fianna Fáil TD's suggestion that learner drivers should be allowed on the road unaccompanied. Brendan Walsh, chief operations officer at the RSA, said people with learner permits must not be allowed on the road on their own because, by definition, they are still learning to drive. Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe told the Dáil last week that learner drivers should be allowed to drive without being accompanied in the car by a licensed driver, as is currently the law. Speaking during a debate on the long waiting time for driving tests, Crowe said young people were being 'criminalised' by the 'punitive' and 'unrealistic' requirement to have an accompanying, qualified driver in the car with them at all times. Advertisement Walsh, of the RSA, told The Journal that rules such as the requirement for learner drivers to be accompanied have contributed to the long-term reduction in road deaths in Ireland. In 2007, the year before legislation kicked in requiring all learner drivers to be accompanied by a licensed driver, 338 people died on Irish roads – almost twice the number of people who lost their lives on the roads in 2024. Before 2007, holders of a second learner permit – then called provisional licences – could drive unaccompanied. Walsh said: 'I would not endorse learner drivers driving on the road without the support of a fully licensed driver sitting beside them.' 'That's the law. You have to have someone accompanying you because if you are on a learner permit, you are still learning to drive.' RSA chief operations officer Brendan Walsh RSA RSA Crowe told the Dáil that in rural areas of his Clare constituency, young people had no choice but to drive in the absence of public transport – with many commuting long distances to college given the shortage and unaffordability of student accommodation. Related Reads Five weeks shaved off driving test wait times this month, with further reduction promised Fianna Fáil TD says learner drivers should be allowed drive a car unaccompanied 'There is no public transport network and this criterion is unacceptable,' Crowe said. Crowe suggested there might be a 'smarter' or more 'sensible way' to deal with learner drivers, such as insurance companies requiring them not to exceed a certain speed. Earlier today, the RSA published its plan to deal with the driving test backlog and reduce waiting times for tests to the target of 10 weeks by September. 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
