Only three of the State's 80 driving testers are women, according to Fine Gael TD Ms Theresa Ahearn, who has accused the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Dempsey, of "blatant discrimination". The figures called into question the Government's stated position on equality.
Ms Ahearn said she was aware of a woman who had applied for a job last June, had passed the written and practical tests, only to be failed at the interview stage.
"I must question why the Department put the applicant through written and practical examinations without first interviewing her.
"If it currently takes eight months to appoint a new driving tester, we must question the Minister as to how he intends to reduce the waiting list for tests, which currently stands at 90,000." The attitude towards women applicants for jobs also called into question the Government's commitment to equality.
