Calls have been made to urgently increase the capacity for the driver theory test, following confirmation by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) that it is now capable of providing 4,000 online tests per month.
The RSA recently announced that it had expanded its pilot online driver theory test service – which was in place for trucks and buses – to include cars and motorbikes, on a limited basis.
Theory-test backlog
With a backlog of 100,000 people waiting to complete the theory test, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) farm business chair, Rose Mary McDonagh, said this will not make any meaningful progress.
“To compound matters, the online platform is not compatible with mobile phones, tablets or Macs. To use the platform, a candidate must have access to a PC with Windows 8, or above, and an internet connection with a minimum speed of 5MBPH,” she said.
“It’s only a sticking plaster solution with too many barriers to the significant roll-out that’s needed.
“The suspension, until further notice, of the theory test being taken in person, along with the inadequate online platform, is blocking many essential workers from obtaining a driving license.”
In 2019, the RSA issued 2,366 tractor learner permits and, based on this, Rose Mary said:
“We can assume that thousands of essential workers are being prevented from carrying out essential work on farms and securing employment with agricultural contractors.”
“We urgently need a permanent solution to increase capacity to meet demand and reduce the backlog.
“At the very least, the Government must initiate a major upgrade in the online platform to allow for greater capacity and compatibility with all devices.”
IFA president, Tim Cullinan, had previously written to Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton, urging the Government to reclassify the theory test as an essential service.
RSA – service increase
The RSA has said that this new online service is being rolled out on a pilot basis and tests are available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
“A new online service will become more widely available later in the year, and assuming the pilot phase is successful, many more customers will be able to opt to do the test online,” the RSA said.
Driving tests
It added that, in light of the significant backlog of customers awaiting tests, it will increase capacity in physical testing centres.
“This will see the number of tests in centres increase from an average of approximately 15,000 tests per month (pre-Covid) and will build up to 50,000 per month once the service is permitted to re-open.”
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