A CORK driving test centre is to close, leaving just three testing centres in the nation’s largest county.

St Finbarr’s Driving Test Centre in Togher was originally set up as a temporary test centre to allow for social distancing measures required during lockdown.

A spokesperson for the RSA has confirmed to The Echo that the Togher testing centre will now close, as it so longer needed. Applicants due to sit a driving test in the St Finbarr’s Centre will be directed to the Wilton location.

Following the closure, there now remains just three centres capable of conducting a driving test in Cork county; Wilton, Mallow and Skibbereen. A fourth RSA testing centre also exists in Ballincollig for the purpose of lorry and truck driving tests only.

Deputy Christopher O’Sullivan believes that the closure of the Togher centre will only worsen an already backlogged system and that some young people face waiting times of up to five months before sitting a test.

“Five months waiting for a driving test isn’t good enough, from application to the actual test. 

It’s the rescheduling of tests that is really a cause of great, great frustration when you have an appointment for a test, and it’s put back by months. We need to change this.”

Deputy O’Sullivan said that the issue of long wait times is especially prevalent in West Cork, where just one testing centre accommodates a large population.

In response to debate on the topic, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar agreed with the Fianna Fáil TD, on the issue in West Cork: “I agree, it’s really important that young people have the freedom that a driving license gives them, not just young people, but particularly young people.”

The spokesperson for the RSA revealed that there has been a 28% increase in the number of applications made to sit a driving test this year. There has also been a significant increase in the number of learner permit holders coming into the system, both of which are much higher figures than what the RSA has forecasted.

In addition to the closure of the St Finbarr’s Driving Test Centre, the representative said delays are also being due to a number of staff members retiring and staff on temporary contracts whose contracts are now expiring.

“We are talking to the Department of Transport about getting extra additional resources to put into the driving test to tackle the backlog,” the spokesperson said.