DRAFTING in members of the Defence Forces to deal with the waiting times for driving tests for young Limerick motorists was suggested by one councillor.
With the average wait at 27 weeks, and some testing centres having waits as high as 43 weeks, members of the Council’s Metropolitan District were revved up over the issue at their May monthly meeting.
Independent councillor Ursula Gavan proposed the Council liaise with the government with a view to establishing a driving test centre in Castletroy/Annacotty to help tackle long waiting times.
“Since 2021 there has been unprecedented demand for driving tests with wait times jumping from eight weeks in 2024 to 22 weeks in 2025 in Mungret. In Woodview test centre, the current wait time is 24 weeks,” Cllr Gavan told the meeting.
The Independent councillor pointed out that the Economic and Social Research Institute now predicts that Limerick city and suburbs are due to grow 40 per cent from 102,000 to 150,000. The current system, she warned, is failing locally and nationally.
“I am calling for a focus on Limerick East as our area grows due to the university, technological/business park and population trends, that we get ahead of the curve. We need to be proactive in this current situation not reactive. One just needs to look at the number of L and N plates currently on the road. It’s nearly every second car and some in reaction to poor transport alternatives.”
She went on to say that new recruits are predominantly going to test centres in Dublin and Cork. “Why is Limerick again ignored?” she asked.
“Garda figures indicate more unaccompanied L drivers are being stopped as they risk driving to college, or apprentices going to work, or people declining jobs due to no licence.”
Cllr Gavan also queried whether local driving instructors could be brought in on an interim measure to alleviate the backlog while permanent suitable applicants are sought.
She also wants a stretch of the possible testing times during the summer when the evenings are brighter.
Fianna Fáil councillor Kieran O’Hanlon wants to rally up the troops on the issue.
“I actually learned to drive myself up in Sarsfield Barracks with the FCA and there are some of the best driving instructors across the country, in the army,” he said.
“Maybe a consideration might be given that some of those instructors become driving testers. In actual fact, I think many of them go on to become driving instructors after the army.”
