The Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District has said that waiting times for driving tests on the peninsula are “simply not acceptable”.
Cllr Jack Murray made the comments after receiving a number of complaints from locals in the Inishowen area about the length of time it takes for learners to receive a test date.
“It’s been an issue for some time, but in particular over the last few weeks, I’ve been receiving numerous complaints from local people about the waiting times for driving tests in Inishowen,” Cllr Murray said via social media this week.
“The complaints I’ve received are from young people who are trying to make a start in life, and desperately need access to a car in order to gain employment or travel for education.”
Many learner drivers in the county are having to wait as many as six months or more just to get a test, due to a huge backlog of applicants and a lack of sufficient available driving test examiners at the RSA.
“I’ll be continuing to push the RSA to employ driving testers in Buncrana in order to try and clear the backlog, while my colleague, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD will be engaging with the Minister for Transport as well,” Cllr Murray said.
“It’s simply not acceptable that people in Inishowen must wait months on end for a test, when you compare it to our neighbours in Derry can have one in a few weeks.”
“Access to a car isn’t a luxury here, but a necessity. We don’t need obstacles being placed in the way of our young people to get to their work.”
Cllr Murray has urged anyone in Inishowen who has experienced the prolonged delays to get in contact.
“If you are affected by this, please send me a note on your experience and I will relay that to the RSA so they understand the pressure people are under,” the Councillor said.
