No fee hike to tackle driving test waiting list

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen has ruled out any increase in the cost of driving tests in order to fund the Government’s latest plans to tackle lengthy test waiting lists.

A spokesperson for Mr Cullen said he would not sanction any increase on the €38 fee, despite a consultants’ report which claimed the current system for testing learner drivers was “loss-making”.

The minister has revealed plans to employ private driving testers to assist in holding an additional 80,000 tests over a year, reducing average waiting times to less than 10 weeks by the end of 2006.