Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster has told the Road Safety Authority (RSA) that the lack of a driving test centre in Drogheda after six years of looking for a suitable site is “farcical”.

Deputy Munster was questioning the RSA at a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee, where she said it’s “beyond insane” that six years on, the RSA is still no closer to identifying a site.

Brendan Walsh, Chief Operations Officer at the RSA responded that they and the Office of Public Works (OPW) continue to work on this, and that they were considering the matter as recently as last week.

Deputy Munster said:

“It’s genuinely farcical at this stage that a driving test centre site can’t be found in Drogheda, the largest town in Ireland, after six years of searching.

“Over the years we’ve been given some fairly ridiculous reasons for sites being rejected – too much traffic or the existence of speed ramps are two memorable examples.

“Up and down the country there are driving test centres operating out of offices and room in hotels even, yet we can’t seems to locate a single building in Drogheda that is suitable for the test centre.

“There are 45,000 people living in Drogheda. The population is set to increase by around 20,000 in the next five years under the Northern Environs Plan. We need a driving test centre in the town.

“I’ve been raising this situation with the RSA for years. Both myself and the people of Drogheda are sick of the excuses and incompetence.  

“The Chief Operations Officer of the RSA needs to prioritise a permanent driving test centre for the largest town in Ireland as the buck stops with the RSA. There can be no more excuses.”