The Chief Operating Officer with the Road Safety Authority has said waiting times for driving tests should be down to ten weeks by the start of September.
Brendan Walsh said the reduction in waiting times will be achieved by hiring more testers, and, where possible, running tests early in the morning, later in the evening and on Saturdays.
He said staff have also offered to work bank holiday Mondays.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Walsh said the waiting time at the end of April was 27 weeks and this has already been reduced to 22 weeks.
“We’ve introduced 41 new testers into our service. We have another 20 in training at the moment, another twelve will join them in two weeks time. A further 18 will join the service in July for training.
“In addition our staff have committed to deliver tests where possible, at half seven in the morning, running out to seven pm, in addition working saturdays and also, for the first time ever, offering to work on bank holiday Mondays,” Mr Walsh said.
He said a number of new testers are already in place and are in the process of being trained while more are due to join the team in the summer.
Mr Walsh acknowledged the stress that long waiting lists are placing on the public.
However, he noted that there is an unprecedented level of demand for tests.
“In 2021 we carried out 160,000 tests. Last year, we carried out a quarter of a million driving tests. That’s why we need this plan. That’s why we need permanent staff,” he said.
The number of people awaiting re-tests varies, he said.
Mr Walsh that a number of sites have been identified across the country for new driving test centres.
