Cancellation of 1,300 driving tests 'unavoidable'

The cancellation of more than 1,300 driving tests to allow testers to debate privatisation plans aimed at reducing the backlog was unavoidable, it was claimed today.

Tom Hoare, secretary general of IMPACT, which represents the state driving testers, said their extraordinary general meeting could not be held in the evening or at the weekend.

He said: “The tests themselves are cancelled because we are at the end of a process which has culminated in over 12 months of negotiations on a dispute over outsourcing.

“Driving testers are already working six days a week, Saturday included, up to 9pm in the evening, so it is not physically possible to get them together on any other day, other than a Sunday.

“As it happens, this weekend some other people dealing with the issue aren’t available.”

He said the State had also been emphasising the need for urgent action on the matter.

Around 1,300 learner drivers due to sit their tests today were told at short notice that their tests would have to be cancelled and rescheduled to a later date to make way for the union’s meeting.

“Any test that was cancelled will be rearranged at very short notice. There is no question of people going to the end of the waiting list,” Mr Hoare told RTE Radio.

More than 110 testers gathered in Athlone to decide whether they should allow a private company to carry out up to 45,000 completed tests.

The testers are meeting to discuss the Labour Relations Commission recommendations over the outsourcing of 40,000 completed tests, with the option of another 5,000.

There are now more than 137,000 people waiting to sit their tests, as well as the 1,300 people whose tests were cancelled.

Mr Hoare said the testers would also be discussing the wider issue that State jobs should not be given to the private sector.

He said more than 20,000 tests had been completed since examiners started doing extra tests last February.

Transport Minister Martin Cullen said the contract for private testers would be used solely to achieve a defined number of completed tests to help eliminate the current backlog of applications.

It could be extended to 45,000 tests if necessary.

The minister, who has described the backlog as totally unacceptable, said the outsourcing could begin on July 1 if the plans are accepted.