Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has said that it is ludicrous that there are less driver testers in the system now than there were this time last year. Almost a hundred thousand people are currently waiting on a driving test.

Teachta Crowe said:

“Figures released to my Sinn Féin colleague Darren O’Rourke TD show that there are now only 139 driver testers in the system compared to 145 this time last year.

“This is despite the fact that 93,791 people were on the waiting list for a driving test last month. 9,323 of these people are waiting in the Tallaght centre alone.

“This is a truly ludicrous position and shows how this government are completely incapable of solving the most basic of a problem.

“The answer is obvious. Recruit more driver testers and work with the respective unions to increase testing hours and days.

“There are almost a hundred thousand people waiting for a driving test in this state. This figure did not appear overnight. I, and many others, have been crying out for successive governments to take this problem seriously and this is the outcome of their inaction. Less testers amid sky high numbers.

“Minister Eamon Ryan cannot ignore this problem any longer. While he dithers and makes the glib claim that the waiting time will be reduced to 10 weeks by the end of next year, real people, not his imaginary ones, are struggling to take their children to school or gain employment because he is unwilling or incapable of acting on this issue.”