More driving testers needed to clear test backlog

08 February 2021

Labour Party Leader, Alan Kelly TD, has called on the Government to allocate funds to recruit more driving testers in order to clear the massive backlog that now exists. 

This comes as figures released by Parliamentary Question to Deputy Kelly reveal that 64,467 people are currently waiting to sit their driving test.

Deputy Kelly said:

“The fact that nearly 65,000 people are currently waiting on a driving test is quite concerning.

I understand that the safety of testers has to be a priority at this time and there is obviously huge pressure on the system due to Covid but the Government need to be proactive and hire more driving  testers above the 140 additional extra testers promised to be in place before June.

“While I welcome that frontline workers are being prioritised, I have so many people contacting me, particularly young people, who are in dire straights because they could be waiting up to a year because of the backlog in the system.

“Delayed testing has many implications including higher insurance prices and extra pressure on families to accompany learner drivers.

“The Government should make every effort possible now to help clear the backlog by hiring more testers as it is not feasible to expect people to wait up to a year to do their driving test.”

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