Sinn Féin TD for Roscommon-Galway Claire Kerrane has called on the Minister for Transport Shane Ross to publish plans for the return of driving tests.
Teachta Kerrane said:
“I have received figures from the Road Safety Authority with the breakdown by county of the numbers waiting for a driving test across the State, following my request to Minister Ross.
“The figures show that there are 55,027 people waiting for a driving test across the 49 testing centres in the State with the longest lists in Tallaght, Finglas and Cork.
“These numbers have skyrocketed from the 20,000 reported.
“There is now an urgent need for clear plans as to how driving lessons and driving tests can be re-introduced in a safe manner. Perspex dividing screens, PPE for instructors and testers, shorter driving routes all need to be examined.
“We also need to look at how other countries are managing this issue post-Covid.
“By now driving instructors, examiners and their unions should have been consulted along with the Road Safety Authority and the Department of Transport. We now need a plan on how we get over 55,000 people through their driving test.”
