New driving test centre for South Dublin 

Learner drivers in South Dublin have been stuck in a traffic jam of bureaucracy, waiting months just to book a test.   

But now, relief may be on the way with the news that a new driving test centre is set to open, promising to ease the massive backlog that has left thousands frustrated and out of pocket.  

The Tallaght Test Centre, currently the busiest in the country, has over 13,000 drivers waiting for a test, with average waiting times stretching to 27 weeks.   

The long delays have frustrated learner drivers, many of whom are struggling with high insurance costs and an inability to progress in their careers due to their inability to obtain a full licence.  

Sinn Féin spokesperson for Dublin, Mark Ward TD (pictured above), has welcomed confirmation he received from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) that plans are in place to open an additional test centre in South Dublin.   

He has long campaigned for increased resources for driver testing and sees this as a much-needed step in the right direction.  

“I’ve been campaigning for additional driving test centres for some time now,” Deputy Ward said.   

“It is welcome news that the RSA has announced plans to open an additional test centre in South Dublin.   

“This will make a significant difference to thousands of people waiting months for a test.”  

Tallaght is currently the only test centre covering the entire South Dublin County Council area, making it a bottleneck for learner drivers.  

“Over 13,000 people are languishing on lists for a driving test in Tallaght. People are waiting, on average, for 27 weeks. This is not good enough,” Ward said.

“We need to ensure that new test centres are introduced to alleviate these delays and allow learners to progress more quickly to a full licence.”  

The lengthy waiting times have significant financial consequences for learners, who are forced to continue paying for insurance policies at inflated rates due to their provisional status.   

“For some, learning to drive now costs over €3,000,” Ward added.

“Between mandatory lessons, car rental, and high insurance, the cost is becoming prohibitive.”  

The backlog has also had ripple effects on essential public services, delaying the recruitment of key workers such as bus drivers and paramedics. 

“There have been delays in recruiting Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus drivers, as well as paramedics, because they require a licence to start their course,” Ward explained.

“This is having real-world consequences beyond individual frustration — it’s impacting essential services.”  

He urged the RSA to prioritise finding a suitable location for the new test centre so it can be operational as soon as possible.

“Waiting times need to come down over the next number of months, and the state needs to start meeting their statutory obligations of 10 weeks, rather than the half-year waits we are currently seeing.”  

Back in February, Sinn Féin brought a Private Members’ Motion to the Dáil calling for increased resources, expedited recruitment of driving test instructors, and new test centres to address the crisis.   

The motion highlighted the severe delays in obtaining a test and called for urgent government intervention.  

Speaking on the motion, Kerry Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly criticised the Government’s handling of the situation. “The Government needs to wake up. It has been asleep at the wheel for too long,” he said.  

While Minister Darragh O’Brien confirmed that the Government would not oppose the motion, he acknowledged the scale of the problem.

“It is an issue, and unquestionably waiting times are too long,” he admitted.

“Every Member of the House has heard from constituents about the issues and challenges that extended driver testing wait times have on individuals and families.”  

Deputy Ward’s party colleague, Sean Crowe TD, also weighed in, describing the situation as a long-standing issue that has gone unaddressed for years.  

“I remember raising the fact that the waiting list in Tallaght had passed the 5,000 mark and urging immediate action before things spiralled out of control. That was back in 2020. Now, over 18,000 people are waiting. That’s a population the size of Clonmel or Malahide, all waiting on a test in one centre,” he said.  

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett also highlighted the severe delays in other test centres, including Dún Laoghaire, stating that waiting times there were just as bad.  

“Certainly, waiting times for tests and resits in Dún Laoghaire are shockingly bad.

“They have not improved, and it is clear that nothing has changed for quite some time,” he said.

“It’s the same story across the country, with learner drivers waiting months and sometimes even longer just to book a test.

“The system is at breaking point.”  

The issue has not gone unnoticed by driving instructors, who have also been affected by the backlog. Many report long wait times for their students and frustration over the lack of available test slots.

Some have had to extend their lesson schedules, increasing costs for learners and putting strain on driving schools.  

For some learners, the delays are causing major disruptions to their plans.

Many young people rely on obtaining a licence for work opportunities, particularly those in rural areas where public transport is limited.

Others have been forced to put off moving to new jobs or universities due to their inability to drive.  

The RSA has said that last year was the busiest in the history of the service, with nearly 275,000 new driver test applications — a 10% increase from projections.  

“The applications also added to the backlog which, as Deputies know, arose following the pandemic and has persisted as a result of incoming demand outstripping the RSA’s capacity,” Minister O’Brien noted.  

With the RSA now committed to opening a new test centre in South Dublin, learner drivers across the region will be hoping that relief comes sooner rather than later.

However, campaigners and politicians alike will be watching closely to ensure that this plan translates into real action, reducing waiting times and ensuring that learner drivers can access the tests they need in a timely and affordable manner.