The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has confirmed plans to open an additional driving test centre in South Dublin to address growing backlogs in the region.
An RSA spokesperson told The Journal that the authority is actively searching for a suitable facility, with the location to be determined based on service demand, proximity to existing test centres, staff availability, suitable road networks, and appropriate facilities.
The announcement comes as the Tallaght driving test centre, currently the only facility serving the entire South Dublin County Council area, faces the highest waiting lists in the country. Approximately 13,000 people are currently awaiting tests at the centre, with average waiting times reaching 27 weeks – significantly exceeding the statutory obligation of 10 weeks.
Sinn Féin’s spokesperson for Dublin, Mark Ward, welcomed the development, stating: “An additional driving test centre in South Dublin will go a long way to tackle waiting times.”
Ward highlighted the financial burden placed on learner drivers due to these delays, noting that “learning to drive now costs over €3,000” and traps learners “in expensive insurance policies.” He also pointed to broader impacts, including recruitment delays for Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, and paramedic services, where driving licenses are required qualifications.
“Locating a suitable facility must be a priority for the RSA so that it can become operational as soon as possible and waiting lists brought down,” Ward said, adding that he has contacted Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien to “express the urgency” of the situation.