Tipperary motorists who are due to renew their drivers licence have been given a further reprieve.
Deputy Mattie McGrath raised the issue with the Transport Minister asking that a previous extension be continued due to the backlog being experienced by the National Driver Licence Service.
Driving Licences which were due to expire between 1st March and 30 June had previously been extended for a four-month period. These will now be extended for a further 3 months.
Deputy McGrath says he was contacted by a number of people who drive for a living.
“There were some paramedics, taxi drivers, lorry drivers, farmers – they would have been unable to drive this week if this wasn’t done.”
“It’s extended for another three months but that may have to be extended again.”
“You cannot leave people without licences who made every effort to have their licence and always have their licence. It’s a very worrying situation.”
Meanwhile Deputy McGrath has described the driving test system as ‘archaic’.
The Independent TD says the impact of Covid-19 has exacerbated the situation with even more delays.
He says extra staff are needed to ease the delay for those waiting to sit their test.
“Included in that cohort are a number of young people who wanted to go back to college who did their Theory Test and couldn’t get their Permit. So they couldn’t get on the road and they couldn’t go for their lessons and they couldn’t get their tests.”
“The whole testing situation needs to be sorted out anyway – it needs to streamlined and get a quicker turnaround times.”
“I had one person who got Donegal for an appointment – and that wasn’t an immediate appointment it was maybe four or five weeks later.”
