A Tipperary TD has launched a stinging attack on the National Driver Licence Service over the length of time it takes for people to secure a driving test.
Deputy Michael Lowry unleashed his anger and frustration at a meeting of the Transport Committee in Leinster House where he addressed Chief Operations Officer with the NDLS Brendan Walsh.
The Thurles TD said the current delays are impacting particularly on young people and simply aren’t acceptable.
“The anger, the resentment and the frustration against you lot there is palpable, it’s a shambles.
“No point in telling me about improvements – I’m getting letters every other day from young people in particular. We have young people being stopped by Gardaí, we’ve young people trying to get around the country, young nurses trying to their hospitals, young apprentices trying to go to their places of work, young students trying to get to college – and they can’t get a driving test. Its incredible.”
Brendan Walsh told the Committee that the first block of new driving testers started with week with sanction from the Department for up to 75 new testers which he said would bring the service back on track by the middle of next year.
However Deputy Lowry said things need to improve quickly.
“It’s really demoralising for people – I have another letter there from a young fella. He tried to get a test, I tried to help him with the test and he ended up losing his electrical apprenticeship because he couldn’t get his driving test in time.
“Those are the kind of practical real difficulties that are being created by these delays. We need a dramatic improvement. I’m talking about places like Thurles, Clonmel all of them have big waiting lists – Nenagh – they’re all in the same boat.”
