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BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Driving test backlog: Where to beat the queues
The crisis in Irish driving tests rumbles on, with an average wait for a test now stretching out to 27 weeks on average, according to figures from the Department for Transport. In some cases, the wait has been known to go on for much longer, as long as 10 months. Advertisement It's leaving Irish learner drivers footing the bill for higher insurance costs as they wait to pass the test - or at least get the chance to do so. Some 68,000 people are currently waiting to take their test. The delays have now become so bad that the relevant Minister, Sean Canney, told the Road Safety Authority (RSA) - an agency currently being shut down and broken into two new agencies - to 'publish their plan, showing their projections of average wait time and numbers of tests to be carried out on a fortnightly basis to end 2025". "The Minister further instructed the RSA to report publicly and to him fortnightly on delivery of their plan, with any deviations from projected timelines to be immediately addressed with the Department of Transport,' according to a spokesperson. That plan has now been published, and includes ideas such as expanding the number of driving test centres from 41 to 60, adding yet more examiners, and expanding the working day of driving tests, starting from 7am and extending to 7.25pm — something that presumably limits the effectiveness of the plan to summer months, and indeed there RSA has said that the plan is supposed to be in place until September. Advertisement Speaking of the RSA plan, Mr Canney said: "The provision of a timely and efficient driver testing service is a key priority for me. The experience of learner drivers seeking a driver test over the last number of years has been unacceptable, and the service being offered needs to be greatly improved as soon as possible. "I welcome the RSA plan to bring wait times down to 10 weeks by no later than early September, and I expect the RSA to fully deliver on this commitment. "There can be no deviation from this timeline and I have instructed the RSA to ensure contingency plans and remedial measures are in place and ready to deploy to ensure that no slippage occurs.' Quite how the Government expects the RSA, which has failed so spectacularly in its other tasks that it soon won't exist in its current form, to fix this issue is another matter. Advertisement The Government has so far been keen to blame individual learner drivers for the problem, stating that some drivers book tests but fail to show up, thereby slowing the flow of tests taken. The issue of resources remains somewhat unaddressed — of 70 extra driving tests examiners promised before Christmas, the first tranche are only now starting to carry out tests. In the meantime, there is the potential for gaming the system somewhat, in an effort to get an earlier test. There's no onus on you to take your test in your local testing centre, and although you'd have to be confident that you can do OK on unfamiliar roads, you're perfectly entitled to book a test at any of the 41 centres around the country. Helpfully, Irish insurance aggregator Quote Devil has come up with a list of the centres with the combination of shortest wait time and highest average passing rates, so that you can maximise your chances of getting a test early, and then passing it first time. Advertisement According to Quote Devil's research, the testing centre with the shortest average wait time of those where more than 50 per cent of applicants pass first time out, with the wait at 13.3 weeks, half the national average, is Tuam in Co. Galway. That centre also manages to schedule 92 per cent of its applications within one month, so your chances of getting an early test are quite good. Ireland Driving test backlog reaches new high: Check the l... Read More Next best is Ennis, Co Clare on 13.5 weeks, followed by Thurles, Co Tipperary (14.3 weeks); Tipperary town (14.3 weeks); Loughrea, Co Galway (14.5 weeks); Shannon, Co Clare (15.8 weeks); Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim (17.2 weeks); Cavan town (17.6 weeks); and Monaghan town (18.8 weeks). What about the worst, though? According to Quote Devil's figures, the centre with the longest average wait for a test, of those with a passing average less than 50 per cent, is Dun Laoghaire/Deansgrange, with an average wait of 30.6 weeks, three weeks longer than the national average. That's a full seven months, and that's just the average. Advertisement Next worst is Naas, Co Kildare on 25 weeks, then Tallaght, Co Dublin on 24.4 weeks. The centre with the lowest passing rate? That'll be Charlestown, Co Dublin, where only 36.2 per cent of applicants pass on the first go. Mind you, Charlestown only makes you wait 16 weeks on average for a test, so at least you can get booked again quickly.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Times
About 600 learners fail to show for driving tests each month
Almost 2,400 learner drivers failed to attend for their driving test appointments in the first four months of this year, it has emerged. This brings to 17,500 the number of unusable driving test slots since January 2023 because of 'no show' candidates, which means the Road Safety Authority (RSA) received almost €1.5 million in non-refundable test application fees. It has also emerged that there are no driver testers in 12 of the State's 57 car test centres. Currently, 137 driving testers are in place at 45 centres. The RSA is recruiting and training new testers and expects to have 200 in place by the end of the year. The RSA has said that while some test centres do not have driving testers, this does not infer that these centres are not being serviced. 'The service is managed to balance available skilled resources across all locations,' the authority said. READ MORE Across the 57 test centres, 6,440 learner drivers failed to show up for their test in 2023. This increased to 8,663 last year. Figures released by the RSA to Fine Gael TD Emer Currie show 2,387 candidates did not show for their test scheduled in the first four months of this year, having failed to cancel in advance of the test. Ms Currie said no-shows this year are working out at 600 a month. 'That level of waste should be re-examined when so may people are desperate to take their tests,' she said. 'It also brings into focus the bizarre situation where learner drivers can miss driving tests but continue to reapply to renew their learner permits.' Once a learner has written confirmation that they applied for their test, they can then apply to renew their learner permit. [ Irish motorists face up to 10 months wait for driving tests with longest in Dublin and Meath centres Opens in new window ] The Dublin West TD added: 'The RSA should be clamping down on waste and workarounds. I'm not sure we are seeing the urgency we should if people are gaming the system.' Chair of road safety campaign group Parc Susan Gray said that since the beginning of 2023 up to the end of April, the authority 'has received €1,486,650 in payments from the no-shows'. 'We believe the RSA are rewarding these drivers for not showing up by issuing a new permit at a cost of €85, which will last a year. Then the learner will be back the following year looking for another renewal for €85.' A learner who completes the test and fails can renew their permit for two years, while a no-show has to renew annually. 'These no-shows know it doesn't matter to the RSA if they fail to turn up for their scheduled test date as the RSA will continue to renew their permits every year.' She added that the Department of Transport is working on secondary legislation, which does not have to go through the Dáil and Seanad, to limit the number of learner permits issued to candidates who fail to show for driving tests. [ TD calls for free-of-charge driving tests if applicants obliged to wait more than 10 weeks Opens in new window ] But this cannot be done until the Minister for Transport receives the RSA's implementation plans to close the loophole, said Ms Gray. The new testers being recruited will have permanent contracts. In a previous recruitment campaign, a number of testers were on temporary contracts, which adversely affected waiting times when their contracts ended. Ms Gray said the lack of testers is 'very alarming'. For example, Buncrana, the only test centre to cover the Inishowen peninsula in Co Donegal, has no driver tester, she said. 'We don't have much confidence in the RSA system that these test centres will be adequately resourced because effectively they will have to take testers from another centre.' Ms Currie said she is looking forward to seeing the RSA appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Transport in the coming weeks to explain why 12 out of 57 driving test centres do not have any testers. The 12 test centres with no driving testers are: Charlestown, Maple House in Mulhuddart, and Killester, Dublin; Buncrana, Co Donegal; Clifden, Co Gaway; Talbot Hotel, Co Carlow; Mallow and Skibbereen, Co Cork; O'Loughlin Gaels centre, Co Kilkenny; Kilrush and Shannon, Co Clare; Longford; and Portlaoise. RSA chief operating officer Brendan Walsh said the authority 'will have employed 91 people on permanent contracts to bring the number of permanent driver testers up to the sanctioned 200″.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Over 2,000 driving test no shows so far in 2025
Road Safety Authority figures, up to the end of April 2025, show that 2,397 people who had applied for and paid €85 to sit their driving test did not show up. With approximately 81,000 people currently waiting for a driving test, the number of no shows puts more pressure on the waiting list. Susan Gray, who is the founder and chairperson of road safety group PARC, has highlighted the number of learner licence holders who are on the waiting list but often do not turn up for their appointed test. "These no shows are depriving other learners of sitting the test when they are anxious to get a date and pass their test and not have to be driving accompanied," she said. This year, the RSA has received just over €203,000 in payments for driving tests for which the applicants did not show up. The figures were presented by the RSA to Fine Gael TD Emer Currie under parliamentary questions. In 2024, 8,863 people did not show up for their driving test. The RSA received €753,355 from driving test applicants who did not turn up last year. Brendan Walsh, Chief Operations Officer with the Road Safety Authority, acknowledged that some of those who do not show up for their tests are holders of multiple learner driving permit licences. "We do have people who are running very high levels of multiple learner permits," he told RTÉ's This Week. Mr Walsh said: "We have a programme that once we get through this backlog [driving test waiting list] we're going to kick it off. "We have the legislation almost finalised with the Department of Transport, so we will be making some changes as to how learner drivers stay on the road with a learner permit. "If you hold a learner permit you should be learning to drive. "Last year, we had 8,863 people who failed to show up. "While that sounds like a big number in the context of 253,000 tests, it's around 3.5%." Ms Gray is particularly critical of people who hold a learner permit and who do not complete their test for a full licence. She said: "A learner driver never has to turn up for the test. "They can renew every year by simply sending the RSA €85, getting a booking date, not turning up and using that letter from the RSA to prove that they actually applied to book a test." Chris Curran, an Ennis-based driving instructor, said that from his experience some learner permit holders make a decision not to turn up for their test. "I believe there are a number of people still in the system that are continually not showing up," he said. Mr Curran said the RSA is "actively trying to work on getting those people to sit their test". "They don't want people driving for years on learner permits," he said. "They need to get through the system, sit their test and either pass it or start working on how they might pass it at some stage," he added. However, he noted that there are sometimes genuine reasons why a person does not show up for a driving test. Mr Curran said: "The key one is nerves on the day. Some people are just too nervous. "Other reasons may be that they have suddenly realised that the 10-day window that the RSA gives each candidate to reschedule their test has been exceeded. "That means they have two choices on the day, turn up or don't turn up. "Some people take the second option and don't turn up." Kirsten Falloon has recently applied for a driving test date and was surprised to find how long her wait will be. "When I applied for my test and realised the length of time that I've got to wait I thought that was abominable," she said. "They said it could be up to 26 weeks or longer," she added. Ms Falloon said she cannot understand why people book a driving test and then fail to turn up. "I think it says more about the system than it does about those that are waiting," she said. "I think it's very broken," she added.
Agriland
5 days ago
- Agriland
RSA issues warning to drivers ahead of bank holiday weekend
Ahead of the June Bank Holiday weekend, the Road Safety Authority (RSA), An Garda Síochána, and Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail, and Ports at the Department of Transport, Séan Canney, are urging all road users to never drive under the influence of alcohol. The appeal comes as RSA analysis has found that over one third of driver fatalities with a toxicology result available during the years 2016–2020 tested positive for alcohol. The analysis shows a stark contrast between off-peak and peak hours. During off-peak hours (10:00p.m–5:59a.m), 70% of driver fatalities with a toxicology result available had a positive toxicology for alcohol, compared to 21% during peak times. Minister Canney said: 'These figures are deeply concerning. They show a consistent pattern of people taking deadly risks by driving under the influence, especially at night. 'My message this weekend is simple – never, ever drink and drive. It's not worth the risk to your life or anyone else's. I urge everyone to act responsibly and make safe choices on our roads.' Director of partnerships and external affairs at the RSA, Sarah O'Connor echoed the call: 'These statistics highlight the importance of targeted enforcement during off-peak hours to detect and remove intoxicated drivers from our roads. 'Combining this with education and awareness initiatives that focus on the dangers of drink-driving – especially late at night – is critical to saving lives.' Chief superintendent David Harrington of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: 'Driving under the influence of an intoxicant, whether alcohol or drugs, is illegal and not only impairs your driving performance but removes your capacity to drive safely. 'Some people may take the risk of driving under influence because they believe they won't encounter gardaí on the road to detect them, but the reality is that we are on the roads conducting checkpoints and are called to the scene of every one of the fatal or serious injury collisions caused by a driver that has been drinking. 'You can avoid putting your life and the lives of others at such high risk if you heed our advice to not consume alcohol or drugs if you know you are getting into a car to drive,' the garda chief added. RSA appeal The RSA appeal coincides with the upcoming launch of a new RSA advertising campaign that addresses social acceptability of drink-driving. The TV-led campaign will go live on June 11, and calls on the public to protect their friends, and other road users, by ensuring their friends don't get behind the wheel after drinking. The RSA is also reminding the public that the summertime period typically sees an increase in cyclist and motorcyclist casualties. Road users are encouraged to slow down, expect the unexpected, and be especially mindful of vulnerable road users. With large crowds expected to travel to events like Bloom in Phoenix Park, Dublin, and BikeFest in Killarney over the Bank Holiday Weekend, drivers are reminded to stay alert, avoid distractions, and share the road responsibly. To help fight driver fatigue, the RSA, in partnership with Applegreen, will also be offering free coffee to drivers at participating service stations from 2:00p.m to 8:00p.m on Friday, May 30 and Monday, June 2. Motorists simply need to mention 'RSA' at the till to avail of the offer.
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- RTÉ News
Drivers urged to be aware of vulnerable people on roads this weekend
An appeal has been launched by An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) calling on road users to be vigilant and never to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs ahead of the bank holiday weekend. With large crowds expected to travel to large events like Bloom in Dublin's Phoenix Park, Dublin, and BikeFest in Killarney, Co Kerry, drivers are reminded to stay alert, avoid distractions, and share the road responsibly. The RSA is reminding the public that this time of year typically sees an increase in cyclist and motorcyclist casualties, asking drivers to slow down and be mindful of vulnerable road users. The public is also being asked to be aware of road closures in the Ballsbridge and Donnybrook area as a result of the Women's Mini Marathon which begins at 12.30pm on Sunday, 1 June, and to plan ahead. So far this year, 68 people have died on Irish roads. Last weekend, four women were killed in separate incidents in counties Wexford, Clare, Meath and Tyrone. In 2024, a total of 174 people died as a result of road traffic collisions. Analysis by the RSA has found that over one third of driver fatalities during the years 2016-2020 had a positive toxicology report result for alcohol. The analysis shows a stark contrast between off-peak and peak hours, as 70% of driver fatalities during off-peak hours (10pm–5.59am) had a positive toxicology for alcohol, compared to 21% during peak times. Minister of State at the Department of Transport Seán Canney said the RSA data was deeply concerning. "The figures show a consistent pattern of people taking deadly risks by driving under the influence, especially at night. My message this weekend is simple: never, ever drink and drive. "It's not worth the risk to your life or anyone else's. I urge everyone to act responsibly and make safe choices on our roads." Chief Superintendent David Harrington of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said that driving under the influence not only impairs your driving performance but removes the capacity to drive safely. "Some people may take the risk of driving under influence because they believe they won't encounter gardaí on the road to detect them, but the reality is that we are on the roads conducting checkpoints and are called to the scene of every one of the fatal or serious injury collisions caused by a driver that has been drinking". Meanwhile the Coast Guard, RNLI and Water Safety Ireland are urging the public to take extra precautions in and around water over the weekend. Kevin Whitney, Head of Operations Section at the Irish Coast Guard said that as the June bank holiday typically marks the start of summer celebrations for many. "We are urging everyone to be mindful of the dangers, plan ahead, and follow the appropriate safety guidelines for your activity". There has been a 10% increase in drownings so far this year, compared to the same period last year. To stay safe, the public is advised to check the weather and tides before going to the shore, and be aware of rip currents at sea. Other advice includes: Never swim alone, and inform someone of your plans to go swimming. Always swim within your depth and stay within your depth. When on the water always wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid. If you see somebody in trouble on the water or along the coast, dial 112 and ask for the Coast Guard. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has warned that bank holiday weekends are usually a busy time for acute and community health services and may result in long wait times at emergency departments.
