Young people in Inishowen waiting ‘months on end’ for driving tests as backlog increases

A call has been made for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to employ driving testers in Buncrana to try an increasing backlog in recent weeks.

Cathoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal District Cllr Jack Murray says that over the last few weeks he has received “numerous complaints from local people about the waiting times for driving tests in Inishowen”.

“The complaints I've received are from young people who are trying to make a start in life, and desperately need access to a car in order to gain employment or travel for education,” he said.

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The Buncrana-based Sinn Féin councillor said he will be continuing to push the RSA to employ driving testers in Buncrana to try and clear the backlog while adding that Donegal TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn will be engaging with the Minister for Transport on the issue as well.

“It's simply not acceptable that people in Inishowen must wait months on end for a test, when you compare it to our neighbours in Derry can have one in a few weeks,” he said.

“Access to a car isn't a luxury here, but a necessity. We don't need obstacles being placed in the way of our young people to get to their work.

“If you are affected by this, please send me a note on your experience and I will relay that to the RSA so they understand the pressure people are under.”