Driving test waiting times in Ireland continue to plague learners, reaching unacceptable levels despite assurances from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to eliminate the backlog.
Driving test waiting times in Ireland have worsened again, reaching a concerning 18 months after initial promises to eliminate the backlog. Despite the Road Safety Authority (RSA) receiving 75 new driving examiners in April 2023, aiming to increase the total to 205, the number dwindled to 150 by December due to departures. This staffing shortage has resulted in a significant surge in the number of learners awaiting their driving test, jumping to 68,000.
The RSA's target is to conduct driving tests within a maximum of 12 weeks. However, some areas face wait times of seven or eight months. Navan currently has the longest wait at 33 weeks, followed by Dún Laoghaire in Dublin at 32 weeks and Carnmore in Galway at 28 weeks. In contrast, Killarney offers the shortest wait time at 13 weeks. The average wait time for learners nationwide is 21 weeks, marking the highest average since December 2023, when it stood at 23 weeks. This situation contradicts the RSA's assurance in April 2023, following the recruitment of 75 new examiners, that service levels would be fully restored by the end of the first quarter of 2024. A Department of Transport spokesperson reiterated this commitment in 2023, stating that the backlog of applicants would be addressed to return to target customer service levels by the end of the first quarter of 2024. However, recent RSA data reveals that 68,177 eligible learner drivers were still awaiting tests at the end of last month. In response to the ongoing crisis, the RSA has announced a new recruitment campaign to fill 70 new positions. Although this process is anticipated to take several months, it is expected to significantly reduce waiting times.
DRIVING TESTS BACKLOG IRELAND ROAD SAFETY AUTHORITY WAITING TIMES
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