Dispute delays plans to cut driving test waiting times

Proposals to reduce waiting times for driving tests are being held up in a dispute between unions and the Department of Transport over plans to privatise some of the testing.

Currently there are more than 131,000 people waiting for a driving test where the waiting time is up to 60 weeks in the Raheny test centre in north Dublin.

The regional average waiting list is now just over 41 weeks while the backlog of tests is growing by about 1,500 a month.

Speaking in Naas where he addressed motor dealers yesterday, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen revealed plans to end the backlog were now likely to be referred to the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) because of opposition from the driving testers.

Mr Cullen said his proposals included a three-pronged approach to the backlog. He would, he said, temporarily "outsource" some tests to the private sector; recruit additional testers and offer a bonus payment on a sliding scale of €36 to €50 per test to current driving testers who increased their productivity.

Mr Cullen said he believed that especially in the summer months the testers would opt for the bonus. He said the outsourcing was a temporary measure to eliminate the backlog and would not be permanent.

The Minister added that he believed the elimination of the backlog was a key element in road safety and he revealed that once the backlog was eliminated he wanted to introduce a more rigorous test which would make drivers more aware of the responsibility that goes with holding a driving licence.

Should his new proposals be accepted by the unions he said he could have the system up and running by January and the waiting lists eliminated or down to about six weeks in 12 to 18 months.

However, the proposal to eliminate the backlog has run into opposition from the Impact trade union which represents most of the testers.

An Impact spokesman told The Irish Times yesterday that he was "surprised" at the Minister's comments as the Government's agreement with the unions under Sustaining Progress provided for the referral of the issue to the LRC.

He added that Impact had come up with its own proposals to eliminate the backlog which did not require outsourcing.

Mr Cullen's plan was also criticised by Fine Gael's transport spokeswoman, Olivia Mitchell, who said the backlog had grown by 7,500 since the Minister's proposals were announced in May.