Call for goodwill gesture on driving test backlog [smarticle]

lostexpectation

Call for goodwill gesture on driving test backlog
28/04/2006 - 17:37:33

A one-off gesture of goodwill was urged today to allow the outsourcing of the State’s growing driving test backlog.

Macra na Feirme, the national organisation representing rural young people, has called on IMPACT to let the Minister for Transport proceed with his plans to temporarily hand over testing to private companies.

Clearing the backlog of provisional drivers waiting for tests should be a priority in terms of improving road safety, according to national president Colm Markey.

He called on IMPACT to “look beyond” the outsourcing issue and “make a once-off gesture of goodwill”.

“The bottom line is that there are over 400,000 unqualified drivers on our roads, with 130,000 of these on the waiting list,” he said. “It is difficult to see how this situation can improve unless some of these tests are outsourced to private companies.”

Last month the Labour Court ruled that Government plans to outsource driving tests violated the Sustaining Progress Agreement as IMPACT (the trade union representing driving testers) had objected to the core work of civil servants being outsourced.

“This is a huge issue for those on the driving test waiting list and indeed in terms of road safety,” said Mr Markey.

“If IMPACT were to agree to the outsourcing of driving tests for a limited period only – and without the possibility of a precedent being set – it could make all the difference.

“Following the Labour Court decision, the unions have established the principles regarding outsourcing and this would be not undermined by a once-off gesture.”

Wow young Fianna blaa Farmers branch have their say...

Why don't the government employ more driving testers directly as goodwill gesture?

John R

the whole idea of one off outsourcing is bollocks, we need more permanent testers not some lunatic scheme to train up a bunch of people for a blitz only to have the queues mount up again.

Chris_533976

The whole system needs to be overhauled, urgently.

1) Get rid of the backlog.
2) Scrap the provisional licence.
3) Mandatory driving lessons.
4) No driving AT ALL till youve passed the test.
5) Test is a maximum of one month after the end of the lessons.


But no, the unions will block everything. ****ing retards.

TheNog

Gerry Ryan suggested an Amnesty just like in the 1970's. I believe several thousand provisional drivers were given full licenses without being tested. Would be a good idea with some restrictions attached such as

must be driving 3yrs of more
must not have been the cause of a road traffic accident

Of course the Amnesty by itself will not be a long term solution. Overhaul present testing system (everyone agrees), mandatory training in secondary schools and some serious restrictions on provisional drivers e.g. driving curfew, provisional license limited to 2yrs, those that fail driving test three times are barred from driving.

lostexpectation

Chris_533976 wrote:

The whole system needs to be overhauled, urgently.

1) Get rid of the backlog.
2) Scrap the provisional licence.
3) Mandatory driving lessons.
4) No driving AT ALL till youve passed the test.
5) Test is a maximum of one month after the end of the lessons.


But no, the unions will block everything. ****ing retards.

But no, the government wil block everything ****ing retards.

murphaph

TheNog wrote:

Gerry Ryan suggested an Amnesty just like in the 1970's. I believe several thousand provisional drivers were given full licenses without being tested. Would be a good idea with some restrictions attached such as

must be driving 3yrs of more
must not have been the cause of a road traffic accident

Of course the Amnesty by itself will not be a long term solution. Overhaul present testing system (everyone agrees), mandatory training in secondary schools and some serious restrictions on provisional drivers e.g. driving curfew, provisional license limited to 2yrs, those that fail driving test three times are barred from driving.

Thankfully Gerry's crazy 'solution' would not be allowed by the EU's 2nd driving licence directive. The solution is simple. Hire more driving testers. The population (and particularly the motoring population) is increasing. We all know the entire sysstem needs wholescale reform, but the govt. should start with hiring and training additional testers to clear backlogs and prevent them developing. The public service unions are a side issue on this one for me. They are always acting in the narrow interests of their members to the detriment of the public at large so I'm not surprised by their actions, the govt however has the power to sort this mess out without the unions, but they won't. They doggedly persist in seeking private sector involvement in this issue. Personally I have no problems with the driving testers or the staff in Ballina who I have always found helpful (except that woman on switch!), but the govt is targetting them, how about targetting some real wasters like IE!