A driving instructor at the Irish School of Motoring has said that the wait for a driving test is currently around 25 weeks.
As of June 7, Driver Theory tests were allowed to resume, with 25,000 tests per month targeted by the Government to take place.
At present, there are currently 120,00 people booked to take their driver theory test along with a lengthy waiting period for lessons.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) recently launched an online version of its theory test as a way of speeding up the process but it's still in the pilot stage with only 4,000 tests being made available each month.
The RSA said the lack of availability is because the current rollout of the system is a “pilot online driver theory test service to include cars and motorbikes on a limited basis”.
However, during an interview with RTÈ's Morning Ireland, Brendan Morgan, an approved driving instructor for the Irish School of Motoring, gave an insight into the current delays.
Speaking with RTE, Mr Morgan said: "For the theory test, there are some plans afoot for the remote theory test - you'll be able to do it online, I think that they're trialling that at the moment - but it's still very much in the rollout phase now, but that would be a huge advantage when it does get up and running.
"To even get their first step on the driving ladder is difficult for people because they have to get the theory test done in the first place. For the driving tests, pre-COVID, I think we were looking at a waiting time of about six weeks. I think we could be talking about 25 weeks now.
When asked about the potential of hiring some extra testers to help reduce the backlog, Mr Morgan was optimistic that the waiting list will be reduced, however, he believes it won't be until 'early next year" before some sort of normality returns to the driving test process.
"I understand there are 14 driving testers that are just about to come on at this stage. There are plans to get 40 more on too. I mean even if there three times that amount, I still see it being early next year before anything is done.
"There was a suggestion that driving instructors, ADIs, could be made temporary driving testers. We have been actually examined by the RSA, so we're well up to their standards and they have deemed us okay to give driving lessons, so we will be very suitable to give driving tests.
"They could make us temporary testers maybe for a while and maybe try and clear the backlog. That's just a suggestion, I haven't heard a reason why that couldn't be done. Maybe that's something that the minister could consider," he said.
With centres for in-person theory tests have reopened, the RSA said capacity will be limited to begin.
RSA spokesperson Brian Farrell said",“There is a cap of 25,000 driver theory tests that we can conduct in the centres per month, and we're hoping in time the Government will permit us to increase the number of theory tests to 50,000 per month, and we're quite confident that being able to ramp up to that level of capacity will go a long way towards eliminating the estimated backlog.”
Prior to Covid-19, the RSA provided 15,000 tests per month and it is hoped that capacity will gradually increase to 50,000 tests per month over time, if public health guidance permits.
Driving tests for essential workers will continue to be the priority for the driver testing service.
In line with the reopening of services on a phased basis, the capacity to provide driving tests for all those eligible to take a test, including non-essential workers, will be increased, beginning with those who have been waiting the longest.
The RSA has confirmed that an additional 40 driving testers will be available from next month, and the Department of Transport and RSA will keep the situation under review.
