There are 20 vehicle inspectors from the Spanish operation and 110 vehicle inspectors, including 44 testers, were recruited from the Philippines. There has also been a significant increase in staff overtime, allowing for 12 tests per tester per day. The RSA has agreed to the Applus proposal to recruit additional inspection personnel at Quality and Qualification Ireland, QQI, level 5 to assist vehicle inspectors with the automated machine-led element. This stems from a November 2022 Labour Court recommendation for a…

As the Deputy will be aware, Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, holds statutory responsibility for the management, operation and development of Dublin Airport. Noise mitigation at Dublin Airport is subject to substantial regulation and oversight as well as best practice mitigation measures. Following the opening of the north runway in August last year, an issue regarding the runway's departure flight paths was identified that resulted, as the Deputy has stated, in some local communities being unexpectedly overflown. Wh…

It is important that there is community engagement from the DAA and all the authorities involved. As I said, noise mitigation at Dublin Airport is subject to substantial regulation and oversight and best practice mitigation measures. These measures are designed to address the long-term adverse effects of noise, particularly at night, while also facilitating the sustainable development of the runway. With regard to planning matters and enforcement, as the Deputy will be aware, any enforcement complaint can be made b…

The flight paths will become operational from 23 February, as I outlined. There is a process in place relating to ICAO safety rules that includes the inputting of flight data. That has to be promulgated months in advance, and has happened. However, I take the Deputy's point about community engagement. I will reflect the feedback that he has given as an elected representative for Fingal and the necessity for the DAA and others to engage with communities so that they can pass on their feedback. The process of engagem…

As the Deputy is aware, the RSA is the body responsible for the operation and oversight of periodic roadworthiness testing under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006. My Department is actively assisting the RSA in tackling the long-term labour shortages of qualified mechanics which have contributed to the current testing backlog and the corresponding difficulties for vehicle owners to secure suitable test dates. This is a serious issue that is being addressed by extensive recruitme…

The current situation is totally unacceptable. That is why the RSA is in a legal process with Applus on imposing penalties on the company, which is not delivering the service that has been contracted to the State. What we are trying to do as a Department is to provide every assistance we can in terms of getting that extra recruitment, whether it is within the European Union or outside of it. The Deputy outlined some test dates that are projected into the summer and beyond. There is a priority waiting list and the m…

I share the Deputy’s frustration on this. There are 31,200 people on the priority waiting list. The conditions that apply, I have been informed by the RSA, are that a free test will be provided where an appointment cannot be offered within 28 days, unless any of the following apply: the test is overdue by more than seven days at the time of contacting the NCT service; an appointment was offered seven days or more prior to the test due date; the customer has made specific requests regarding suitable days, times or d…

The Deputy will be aware that the RSA has statutory responsibility for the operational aspects of driving tests nationally, including applications and scheduling matters. I would first like to address the broader issue of driving test delays, which is a problem across the State and which has been raised by a number of Deputies. The current national average waiting time for an invitation to a test is 19 weeks, which is far above the service level agreement, SLA, of ten weeks. This is reflective of demand on driver t…

I accept that the current service that is being delivered does not meet what the public expects. People are waiting 19 or 20 weeks or even more in certain cases and that is not an acceptable public service. If we are being honest, the service level agreement of ten weeks needs to be examined as well. For me as Minister of State, even ten weeks is too long as I am concerned. There is constant engagement with the RSA on this. There has been an increase in the permanent headcount from 100 to 130. I met with my officia…

I have them and it is a mixed picture - in Kilrush, it is 15 weeks; Ennis, 20 weeks; and Shannon, 35 weeks, which is completely unacceptable. The 30 permanent drivers that have been recruited are being deployed to the areas where people are waiting for the longest. The focus of the RSA and its operational plan is on those who have been waiting for the longest. All of County Clare is beyond the service level agreement time, but those in Shannon and Ennis in particular are waiting far in excess of what they should be…

The Deputy is probably aware that voluntary search and rescue groups, such as those referred to by him, do not come under the aegis of the Department of Transport. However, I can confirm that the Department does provide an annual maintenance grant to support the search and rescue activities of voluntary search groups involved in mountain and cave rescue and community rescue boats. The grant, formally entitled the "coastal and inshore, mountain and cave rescue grant current", provides for grant aid to current expend…

There have been grants to a number of rescue teams. I have a list of them here. I appreciate the feedback the Deputy has given. I will engage with my colleagues across the Government, perhaps the Minister for Rural and Community Development or the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media, on this issue. They provide a vital community service, as Deputy Naughten has referenced. I will reflect on what he has outlined and engage with colleagues. I will also reflect on what happened previously u…

I hear what Deputy Naughten says. When tragic circumstances occur, we have volunteers that front up and provide assistance to families. The State cannot abandon volunteers and groups. I will engage with my colleagues across the Government on this. As I referenced at the outset, some of these groups do not specifically come under the Department, but that means nothing to them; they want to know what the broader State is doing. They provide a vital service. I will engage on the issue with my colleagues, and I will al…

I appreciate the kind words of Deputy O'Sullivan. It was great to be down in west Cork and see huge ambition in sport. However, now in a new role, we have to resolve some of the issues the Deputy is having in regard to transport. I know the difficulty and anxiety the delays in driver testing is causing many people who are waiting excessive times. It is unacceptable. As the Deputy knows, the Road Safety Authority has statutory responsibility for operational aspects of the national driving test, including application…

I absolutely agree, and I welcome the Deputy’s positive and constructive contribution on this. We have to build greater capacity. The 30% increase in permanent headcount will make an impact and, as I said, they are being deployed with a focus very much on the centres that are above the national average, which should benefit Skibbereen. More generally, the Deputy is correct that many young people are waiting excessively for a test, which is impacting their lives in many ways, whether in terms of sport, education or …

I thank Senator Ó Donnghaile for raising this matter. I have met with representatives of the Friends of Irish Athletics, which is the group that has campaigned for a change in World Athletics policy in this area for some time. I have repeatedly indicated my view that athletes and sportspersons from all parts of Ireland should have the choice to represent Ireland at all major international competitions. This position has been conveyed in official discussions with our counterparts in Northern Ireland. It is a shared …

We will continue to focus on this matter. As I said, officials from Sport Ireland will continue to engage with their counterparts in Athletics Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland. We have had some limited discussion and correspondence with Minister Hargey when she was in her previous role. Obviously, we have a shared objective on this across the island. We will continue to engage at our level to reflect both our position and the broad cross-party consensus across the Houses on this matter to which the Senator referr…

No.

No.

It is proposed that, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions be taken now without debate.