Following a long campaign to get a permanent driving test centre in Ireland’s biggest town, Labour TD Ged Nash has disclosed today that a new and permanent driving test centre for Drogheda will be operational within a matter of weeks.

Deputy Nash explained: “This morning, the Road Safety Authority wrote to me, confirming that a new driving test centre for Drogheda will be fully operational in a matter of weeks.

“I’m aware of the location of the new centre but the Road Safety Authority is not publicly announcing the whereabouts of the centre just yet, for contractual reasons.”

The Louth Labour TD added: “This marks the successful end of a two-year campaign to bring a test centre back to Drogheda.

“I have been engaged intensively with the RSA ever since the removal of the temporary test centre, two years ago, to bring a driving test centre back to our town, in a bid to tackle lengthy waiting lists.”

He said: “Waiting times for tests nationally and locally, are unacceptably long and the addition of a testing centre in Drogheda will help to clear those lists while delivering a service that the people of Drogheda, South Louth and East Meath have waited for, for far too long.

“The new centre will also have a positive impact on waiting lists in Dundalk where learner drivers from Drogheda have been forced to take their tests for the last two years.”

Deputy Nash concluded: “I’m delighted that we are finally in a place now, where the region’s largest town has its own driving test centre.”