Drogheda Driving Test Centre Saga must end – Joanna Byrne TD.

Thursday 27th Febuary 2025, 13:58 pm

Speaking in the Dáil, local Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne raised the need for a driving test centre for Drogheda.

Deputy Byrne said

“The statutory maximum waiting time for a driving test is ten weeks and no test centre in the country is meeting that or even coming close to it. As there is no driving test centre in Drogheda, people in South Louth and East Meath have to travel to do their driving tests, usually to Navan or Dundalk.

“They have to drive on unfamiliar roads with no local knowledge and it may be the only time they drive those roads. To add to the inconvenience of having to travel for driving tests, the waiting time in the Navan test centre is 35 weeks, which is the longest in the country, while in Dundalk it is 23 weeks.

“There are 76 test centres around the country. In some cases, towns far smaller than Drogheda have two test centres.

“People in Drogheda do not begrudge this, but it is genuinely farcical at this stage that a permanent driving test centre site cannot be found in Drogheda, the largest town in Ireland, after seven years of searching.

“According to the RSA last year, 14 sites were inspected in Drogheda. Of those 14 sites, seven were deemed to be not suitable but no reason was given. Traffic and speed ramps were given as reasons for not allowing a centre at some other sites. 

“At present, there are 45,000 people living in Drogheda.

“The population is increasing right now, with the new homes being built under the Northern Environs Plan and it will increase to about 20,000 new Drogheda residents in the next few years.

“We need a driving test centre to serve a large population in a large geographical area spanning south Louth and east Meath.

“If we are to reduce the waiting times I highlighted earlier for driving tests in Navan and Dundalk, then a driving test centre must be opened in Drogheda as soon as possible.

“The Government and RSA need to meet their commitments and provide driving tests within the statutory waiting time. Drogheda has been sidelined for too long.

“There are no excuses that will suffice any longer.

“A permanent test centre for Drogheda, and a waiting time of under 10 weeks has to become a priority for all stakeholders.

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