No driving tests have taken place in Clonmel this week as the only tester in the town is on annual leave.
The shortage of RSA appointed testers has been highlighted in the Dáil by local TD Mattie McGrath.
The waiting time for Learner Permit holders in Clonmel is normally around six months.
Deputy McGrath says promises to appoint 75 new testers across the country has failed to materialize.
“In actual fact the opposite happened in Clonmel test centre where one excellent tester was left go. So the only tester in Clonmel now is on annual leave this week so not one test will be carried out in Clonmel. This beggars belief – you’ve the RSA out there and they won’t recruit and retain adequate testers so the people that want to go to work, want to go to college, want to do anything and get on the road and the RSA are allowed to do this. They have contracts with the government – they should be made honour them.”
The Tánaiste has defended the Department of Transport and the Road Safety Authority in the wake of criticism from Deputy McGrath.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said efforts have been made to increase tester numbers with inroads being made to reduce waiting times.
“The person in Clonmel is on annual leave and is entitled to take annual leave – I hope you accept that.
“There’s a significant reduction in the national average waiting time now. From a high of 30.4 weeks in August last to 16.9 weeks at the end of February so that’s a big improvement – still too high – but we’re working in relation to that. And that’s because of the extra capacity in the system. 41 additional testers have joined since September of last year.”
