The Road Safety Authority (RSA) said today it aims to bring the wait for a driving test down to an average of 10 weeks by the end of March next year.
The RSA confirmed Swiss multinational firm SGS Ireland - which operates the NCT car testing service - has been awarded a second contract to carry out driving tests - this time for 100,000. This contract can be increased in increments of 10,000 depending on requirements.
The RSA also said the number of testers it employs has been increased to 126. Some 69 driver testers are also involved in an overtime scheme that sees them carry out driving tests at weekends, evenings and early mornings.
The body said it is confident its testers can conduct over 196,000 tests this year, with SGS carrying out almost 100,000 more from the first and second outsourcing contracts.
Noel Brett, RSA chief executive, said he is confident waiting times will fall to an acceptable level: "that is to under a 10 week average across the country by the end of March 2008".
At the moment there are of 135,847 provisional drivers awaiting a test, and they must wait almost six months on average.
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