Sinn Féin spokesperson on Communications and Transport, Martin Kenny TD, has welcomed approval by Government for the appointment of 75 additional driving testers. 

Speaking today, Teachta Kenny said:

“The appointment of these 75 testers is welcome and will of course go some way to alleviate the waiting times currently faced by those on learner licences. However, it is important for us to see this in context.   

“Applications for tests have risen steadily over the last number of years, and the Department have admitted that demand for tests has reached an unprecedented level. In 2022 alone there was a 28% increase on test applications compared with 2021. 

“The additional 30 testers announced in July 2022 were not fully deployed within the current system until last month. The additional 75 testers announced today are not expected to be operating within the system until towards the end of this year. 

“While I accept some of the backlog can be attributed to delays in testing due to pandemic restrictions, there was also a failure by the Department of Transport in terms of their workforce planning. 

“They would have been aware that there was going to be an increase in learner drivers becoming eligible to take their full licence test in early 2022, but failed to plan for an increase in their workforce. 

“Failing to plan and prepare has been a consistent theme throughout this Government’s term, and the driver testing system is just the latest hallmark of this.”