75 additional driver testers are to be hired by the Road Safety Authority to help ease the backlog on driving tests. That's according to Monaghan Senator Robbie Gallagher, who says this will bring the potential total number of testers to over 200 and address the current backlog in the driver testing service.
Speaking to Northern Sound, Senator Gallagher explained; "This recruitment drive is 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 testers will be recruited through open competition, and it is expected that new testers will be trained and ready to work from October of this year. With these new testers in place, customers will see improvements in their waiting times and the RSA expect the backlog of applicants to be returned to target customer service levels by the end of the first quarter of 2024."
Senator Gallagher continued; "Demand for driving tests is now at unprecedented levels. The current demand for driving tests has a number of contributory factors, including: an increase in application volumes, with more learners applying for and becoming eligible to take their driving test since the start of 2022; increased capacity and take up of the Driver Theory Test; and an increase in Advanced Driving Instructors’ and their capacity to deliver lessons to learner drivers.
"The open recruitment campaign will go live next week. Once complete, training will begin with successful candidates and new driver testers will begin testing in October."
