Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster has criticised the government’s ongoing failure to ensure that a driving test centre is provided for Drogheda. A permanent test centre was promised almost six years ago, yet the town remains without the service.
Deputy Munster raised the issue with the Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath TD.
“The government needs to intervene with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and find out what is going on here” said Deputy Munster..
“Drogheda is Ireland’s largest town. The people of Drogheda pay their taxes like everyone else, they pay road tax and they even pay the unfair toll tax to travel across their own town.
“It’s not asking for much that the government ensures that a resource that was promised almost six years ago is finally delivered.
“Last year it transpired that potential sites in Drogheda were being rejected for no reason, or for nonsensical reasons like the existence of traffic in the area.
“We need the Minister for Transport to take the RSA to task on this and find out what has been the cause of the delay, and how we can find a new site for the centre in a timely manner.
“Minister McGrath’s reply today referred to new driving testers – none of them are in Drogheda because there’s no test centre here so that news is of limited benefit to us.
“There’s still no indication that the government recognises that this is a problem that needs to be sorted urgently. There’s clearly an issue at a local level so it’s time for the Minister for Transport to step in, find out what the problems are and ensure that an appropriate test centre can be found.”
