Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has criticised Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan for failing to step up and aid the people of Tallaght who are forced to wait months for a driving test while the RSA do the bare minimum and allow a huge backlog to build up.

At the start of December 2022, there were 14,054 people waiting for a driving test in the Tallaght testing centre, by far the highest in the country.

Teachta Crowe said what was required is a new testing centre in south Dublin to relieve the Tallaght centre and prevent such a backlog from building up again.

Teachta Crowe said:

“There are now over 14,000 people waiting on a driving test in the Tallaght testing centre for a driving test. That is 14,000 people whose ability to access employment, education or childcare is being restricted.

“Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has failed to step up and aid these people, preferring to hide behind the RSA instead. What good is a Minister who does nothing but pass the buck?

“The RSA blame Covid for the backlog but that does not explain why waiting list grew by 4,000 in the last 4 months of 2022.

“When I put simple questions to the RSA, I was told there are no plans to do anything except hire a few extra testers on temporary contracts. This isn’t good enough.

“Quite simply, the RSA is doing the bare minimum and it is the people of Tallaght and its hinterland who are suffering because of it.

“Minister Ryan should step in and instruct the RSA that an additional testing centre is needed in south Dublin to relieve the Tallaght centre and prevent such a backlog from building up again. Anything else is not acceptable and is just papering over the cracks.”