RSA 'moving closer' to meeting standard for driving test wait times

The service level agreement that the RSA agreed with the Government says that the target for waiting times is an average of 10 weeks by September.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is "moving closer" to meeting the required standard for driving test waiting times.

As of today, it says the average national waiting time for a driving test invitation has dropped to 13.5 weeks — which, it says, is ahead of its own targets.

The service level agreement that the RSA agreed with the Government says the target for waiting times is an average of 10 weeks by September.

However, some centres still have extreme waiting times.

Anyone wishing to book a driving test in Tallaght in Dublin will need to wait at least 26 weeks, while Mallow's current wait time is 19 weeks. The wait at the Wilton test centre, as it stands, is 15 weeks.

The earliest available date for an invitation to book a driving test at the time of publication is in Carlow, on September 22.

Recruitment drive

According to the RSA, key measures were introduced to reduce times. These included: 

• A major recruitment drive to increase testing capacity; 
• Enhanced scheduling to maximise available slots;
• Expansion of testing resources nationwide.

Speaking about the reduction, Brendan Walsh of the RSA said: "These results are a clear sign that our action plan is working. 

"We’ve made significant strides in just a few months, thanks to the dedication of our staff and the support of the Department of Transport.” 

The RSA announced a new action plan in May to reduce waiting times.