Driving test centre backlogs are so long that some of the country’s 50,000 learners must wait until next September before they get their car licence.
The shocking delays were revealed in the Road Safety Authority’s latest figures that show backlogs and delays of several months.
Galway Westside is the worst hit in the country with delays of 39 weeks, meaning a new applicant would not get a test date until nearly next Autumn.
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Local politicians have criticised the delay, with Galway City Cllr Imelda Byrne branding the wait time “outrageous”.
She told the Irish Mirror: “This is just not acceptable. It is outrageous and I will be challenging for more investment for improved services.
“The days will soon be getting longer, so I think more tests could be scheduled into the evenings until such times as the delays are reduced.
“I will be making representations about this on behalf of my constituents and the thousands of learners who are waiting to sit their driving test.”
Including Galway Westside, there are a total of six centres where driving test waiting times are over 30 weeks.
Drogheda, Co Lough is 38 weeks; Shannon in Co Clare, Navan in Co Meath, and Limerick Woodview are all 32 weeks, while Loughrea in Galway is 30 weeks.
Learners will have to wait until next July for a test at those centres if they apply today.
Some 18 centres have “estimated weeks to invitation” times of between 20 and 29 weeks.
These include Dún Laoghaire/Deansgrange, plus Killester, Mulhuddart and Tallaght in Dublin; Dungarvan in Co Waterford; and Dundalk in Co Louth.
Some 5,711 learners at Tallaght were classed as waiting by the end of November, while there were 2,545 waiting for a test in Dún Laoghaire/Deansgrange.
The driving test centres in the country with the shortest waiting times include Buncrana in Co Donegal but the wait there is still nearly three months.
It is 11 weeks in Buncrana; plus Letterkenny in Co Donegal; Castlebar in Co Mayo; Monaghan town; Thurles in Co Tipperary; and Tipperary town.
The fewest number of learners waiting for a test at any centre is Clifden, Co Galway, where 106 drivers were waiting.
But the backlog there is 15 weeks.
Critics of the delays have pointed out that more strain is likely to put extra pressure on the driving test system because over half of the current 50,000 learners who are now eligible for a test are expected to fail, according to past statistics.
They say this means that as many as 25,000 learners will be loaded back into the queue for a second test.
A strain on the system is also caused by non-shows, with the RSA revealing that thousands of learners book a driving test but do not sit it.
More than 170,000 tests were booked in the first 11 months of the year, but only 155,000 (91 per cent) went ahead.
Additionally, the RSA is recruiting permanent staff in the Driver Testing Service from 100 to 130.
As many as 15 new testers are due to be added in the coming weeks.
A spokesperson for the RSA said: “This will increase the capacity for driving tests at various locations across the country and reduce time to invite estimates.”
He added: “Plans are now under way to ensure that sufficient contracted testers are available to deal with surplus backlogs with a view to returning to normal service levels.”
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