Drivers in North Cork waiting 24 weeks for test

DRIVING test applicants in the North Cork area are currently facing a minimum waiting time of 24 weeks to sit their driving test at the Mallow Test Centre.

Labour TD for Cork East Seán Sherlock recently highlighted the issue in the Dáil after the waiting time figures were released to him by the Road Safety Authority.

He said: “The wait times in all centres are extraordinary, once again.

“However, Mallow is the only test site in North Cork and a 24-week wait is simply too long a wait. The idea that applicants should apply to other sites doesn’t hold up to reality when you see the city driver test sites are also estimating a 24-week wait,” he said.

The Cork TD called for additional driver tests to be brought on stream as quickly as possible.

“We need to see the additional driver testers brought back on stream much, much faster than is currently envisaged. At this rate, we will not clear the backlog until well into 2024.”

In response, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said

: “My department has now given approval for the recruitment of up to 75 driver testers. This is in addition to the 30 testers who were previously sanctioned in July 2022 and have been fully deployed since the end of March 2023.

“This brings the total number of sanctioned driver tester posts to just over 200.”

Mr Ryan added: “It is expected that once these additional 75 driver testers are recruited, trained, and deployed, the backlog for driver testing services will be actively managed such that it will start to reduce from October 2023 and agreed service levels should resume by early-mid 2024.”