New measures at driving test centres

FOURTEEN driving test centres will reopen initially, but as the number of tests and categories of vehicles being tested increases in the coming weeks, the remaining 38 test centres will reopen.

Measures are being put in place to prioritise the allocation of appointments when the service resumes. These include;

• Those whose test appointments were cancelled when the service was suspended will be offered a test date first in the coming weeks and will be contacted directly about scheduling their test.
• Priority will also be given to ‘Front-line health care workers’ who require an emergency driving test.
• Test appointments will then be offered to people in order of when their application was made.

The following test centres will reopen for truck, bus and motorcycle tests week commencing June 29 – Dublin (Dun Laoghaire, Finglas, Mulhuddart), Dundalk, Ennis, Galway (Carnmore), Kilkenny, Kerry ( Tralee, Killarney ), Limerick (Dock Road), Sligo, Cork (Ballincollig, Mallow), Waterford. In the following weeks all the 52 test centres will open for business.

The national average waiting time for a driving test, before the suspension of the driving test service on 13 March, was around 5/6 weeks. The RSA has committed to maintaining a national average waiting time of 10 weeks.

Protocols that will be introduced in the driving test to prevent the spread of Covid19 include;

Sign up for the weekly Limerick Post newsletter

Sign Up

• Before appointments are offered candidates will be provided with information concerning Covid-19.
• Where a person is displaying symptoms of Covid-19 they should not attend for test and a further appointment will be offered in due course free of charge.
• Customers are asked to make an extra effort to ensure that their vehicle is clean and free from any personal belongings.
• Only customers for driving tests can enter the driving test centre. Accompanying drivers or driving instructor must make alternative arrangements while you take the test.
• Driver testers will wear a face mask and test customers will also be asked to wear face masks when attending for their appointment.
• Hand sanitisers will be available in the test centre.
• Driver testers will also be carrying wipes and hand sanitisers and may wipe down some surfaces on a candidate’s vehicle.
• Customers may be asked to keep their windows partially open during the test.