DUBLIN – Learner drivers in Tallaght are facing a record-high driving test wait time of 35 weeks – over eight months – making it the longest backlog in the country, M10News has learned.
According to the latest figures from the Road Safety Authority (RSA), Dún Laoghaire follows closely behind with a 34-week delay.
The national average as of late March stands at 24.1 weeks, up from 23 weeks in February. The RSA has long targeted a 10-week waiting period for driving tests, but no centre is currently meeting that standard.
Fine Gael TD Barry Ward has criticised the ongoing delays, calling them “unjustifiable” and saying many learners are being “unfairly hindered” after paying the necessary application fees.
“The excuse of Covid-related delays is no longer acceptable,” Ward said, urging the Department of Transport to intervene urgently.
Meanwhile, Dublin Mid-West TD Mark Ward of Sinn Féin said the situation in Tallaght is “going in the wrong direction.”
According to figures he received earlier this year, the wait time in Tallaght was 27 weeks. “Now it’s increased again. Something needs to happen as a matter of emergency,” he said.
The RSA attributes the delays to a surge in applications in recent years, with 253,850 tests conducted in 2024 – a record high. A recruitment campaign is underway to increase the number of permanent driver testers from 130 to 200 by November.
As of February, there were 144 testers, with 13 more expected to be deployed to high-demand areas like Dublin and Cork by the end of April.
In response to the mounting pressure, the RSA has confirmed it is seeking a location for a new driving test centre in South Dublin, which could help relieve pressure on the Tallaght centre – currently the only one serving South Dublin County.
Sinn Féin previously tabled a motion in the Dáil calling for increased resources and a full audit of test centre capacity.
PAlthough the government did not oppose the motion, Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien emphasised that the operation of driving tests remains under the RSA’s statutory remit.
While efforts are underway to tackle the backlog, frustrated applicants say the long delays are preventing them from securing jobs or commuting independently.
Stay with M10News for updates on this developing story.
