The additional 75 testers will bring the potential total number of testers to over 200
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has been given the green light to hire 75 additional driver testers. This move is aimed at addressing the current backlog in the Driver Testing Service.
The additional 75 testers will bring the potential total number of testers to over 200, in addition to the 30 extra testers who were previously sanctioned in July 2022 and have been fully deployed since the end of March 2023.
The recruitment process for the new testers will be conducted through open competition, and the RSA anticipates that the new testers will be trained and ready to work from October of this year.
With the new testers in place, customers can expect to see improvements in their waiting times, and the RSA expects the backlog of applicants to be returned to target customer service levels by the end of the first quarter of 2024.
The demand for driving tests has reached unprecedented levels, with applications in 2022 being 28% higher than 2021 levels and 27% up on 2018 pre-COVID-19 pandemic.
Kildare North TD Fianna Fáil's James Lawless commented: "The current backlog in the Driver Testing Service has caused considerable frustration for many people who need to obtain their driving licence for work, education or other purposes.
"I’ve dealt with so many constituents facing really long delays with driving tests and this is a positive step by the Government. These additional testers will help to address this backlog and ensure that people across Kildare can obtain their driving licences in a timely and efficient manner."
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