Driving Test Fees to Rise.

PanhardPL

According to today's Irish Times, Minister Dempsey is about to use his rubber stamp again at the behest of the RSA. He is acting like a dying wasp stinging the Motorists of Ireland once again before he leaves office, something he seems really proud of and won't be around to be punished by the electorate.

Excerpt from the Irish Times Monday 27th December 2010." Cost of Driving Tests to Rise, says Dempsey
THE COST of a driving test and a driver theory test is to rise early in the new year, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said.
An application to increase the fees, from €75 to €85 for a driving test and €35.60 to €40.60 for the theory exam, has been made by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to the Minister.
It will be the second increase in the cost of a driving test in less than two years.
The rise is being sought to offset a cut of €5.5 million in the RSA’s funding that was announced in the Budget.
While Mr Dempsey is due to approve the fee increase, he has also asked the RSA to consider increasing fees for other services it provides, such as commercial vehicle licence testing and the NCT.
“The fee increase will have to cover the €5.5 million shortfall in [RSA] funding. I have sent a query asking why they are not considering some of the other areas for a fee increase to spread it more evenly.”
The Minister said the increases were part of a policy – outlined in the Government’s four-year plan – to reduce the reliance of State agencies on exchequer funding.
“In the longer term we want a lot of these agencies to become self-funding. We increased the price of the driving test last year, and that almost made the RSA self-sufficient in that area.”
In April 2009 the cost of a driving test rose from €38 to €75 for cars and to €110 for larger commercial vehicles.
The Minister also said a new credit card-style driving licence containing a chip holding detailed information about the motorist will be introduced next year.
The new licences will initially be distributed to those receiving their first licence or renewing, before being gradually introduced for all drivers. There would be no additional cost for the new licence.
He said the new licences would have additional security measures to make counterfeiting more difficult.
The cards will hold a photo; the driver’s name, address, and date of birth; class of licence; and details of the issuing authority. It will also carry a record of any penalty points and disqualifications.
Mr Dempsey said he was unlikely to make any decision on the introduction of additional tolls on the nation’s motorways. He recently received a detailed report from the National Roads Authority (NRA) on where additional tolls could be placed.
“The report says further work would need to be done before we make a decision on tolling. We might ask the NRA to do this but I don’t think there will be a decision on new tolls between now and the election.”
The Minister said the Cabinet approved a new Road Traffic Bill at its pre-Christmas meeting that will provide for the mandatory testing of all drivers involved in a collision in which someone was injured.
The Minister said he hoped to have the legislation published as soon as possible."

Mr. Manager

Only the difference of €5 - €10, stop being so tight.

It's a once off thing.

Victor

I don't see a particular problem with people picking up the costs of their own driving test. It will still be subisdised.

mikemac

What about.........

Setting a fee and refunding people who attempt it. Even if you try and fail you get your fee back.

But people who are no shows and didn't cancel lose their money as they are time wasters and clogging up the waiting lists.

I don't know what the correct fee should be, probably higher then it currently is and high enough to discourage no shows. They never bothered to cancel

But if you try you are saving money now, money back

What do you reckon?

As for the announcement on credit card licences, I first heard of that in 2008. I don't know what the delay is

PanhardPL

Victor wrote: »

I don't see a particular problem with people picking up the costs of their own driving test. It will still be subisdised.

Maybe so, but wait and see what else is in the pipeline.

Eric Cartman

how bout they just stop making stupid ads and concentrate on the nct, CPC and driving test, keep publishing rules of the road book and sack gaybo , thats how to fix the RSA

MagicMarker

Cereal Rapist wrote: »

Only the difference of €5 - €10, stop being so tight.

It's a once off thing.

It's a once off thing, for the second time in 2 years. :pac:

Honestly though, I don't really care. Full license ftw.

peasant

X'cuuuse me???

While Mr Dempsey is due to approve the fee increase, he has also asked the RSA to consider increasing fees for other services it provides, such as commercial vehicle licence testing and the NCT.

Since when is the RSA providing the NCT/DOE test ?

Or to put it a different way ...are they getting a cut of the fees?
To make more stupid ads?

lau1247

yeah the RSA should stop making stupid ads, then there's no need to make up for this shortfall..

slimjimmc

peasant wrote: »

X'cuuuse me???



Since when is the RSA providing the NCT/DOE test ?

Or to put it a different way ...are they getting a cut of the fees?
To make more stupid ads?

They're responsible for the testing system. They don't need to do the actual testing which is why they subcontract the NCT work out to Applus+ and DOE work to individual DOE centres.
http://www.rsa.ie/en/Utility/About-Us/What-we-do/

The RSA works to improve road safety in Ireland by:

• Developing and implementing information and education campaigns to increase awareness of road safety and promote safer driving
  
• Improving vehicle standards
• Establishing and monitoring a standard for driver instruction
• Overseeing the system of driver licensing and undertaking certain enforcement activities
• Working with stakeholders to ensure a co-ordinated response and ensure our collective resources are used wisely and efficiently
• Undertaking accident and road safety research in order to develop measures and recommendations to improve road safety
• Advising the Minister for Transport on road safety policy
• Producing road safety strategy documents and monitoring their implementation

Victor

feelingstressed wrote: »

Setting a fee and refunding people who attempt it. Even if you try and fail you get your fee back.

So what incentive does one have to actually pass in a somewhat prompt manner?

If you keep getting a refund, you could go on for years on a learner's permit and it would cost you almost nothing.

ArphaRima

The driving test fee should only be to cover the costs of a driving test.

It is a statutory requirement to have a driving licence to drive, therefore I deem it effective blackmail to charge new drivers this fee to cover the costs of unrelated programmes.

The RSA like every state agency needs to learn the meaning of the word "cutback". Reduced budget=reduced spending.

L1011

fluffer wrote: »

The driving test fee should only be to cover the costs of a driving test.

I think the point is that currently the fee doesn't actually cover the costs of the test.

The theory test fee, however, is steep for a computerised exam. Although there ends up being tiny centres in regional areas that are unlikely to make money at all (I did the test for my never applied for light truck provisional in Wicklow and I think it had 4 seats) and this is what makes up the costs.

Del2005

fluffer wrote: »

The driving test fee should only be to cover the costs of a driving test.

It is a statutory requirement to have a driving licence to drive, therefore I deem it effective blackmail to charge new drivers this fee to cover the costs of unrelated programmes.

The RSA like every state agency needs to learn the meaning of the word "cutback". Reduced budget=reduced spending.

How does it cost 75 for a 30min test? The testers must be on footballers wages!
There is no entitlement to be allowed to drive, so they can charge you as much as they want if you want to drive. Agree with them wasting cash on stupid ads .

ArphaRima

There is no entitlement to be allowed to drive, so they can charge you as much as they want if you want to drive.

Now this is where I have to strongly disagree.

Your argument is akin to the passport office charging 2,000 euro for a passport just because they can.

Just like going abroad driving a car is not an entitlement per se, no. But it should be accessible. No state agency should be allowed to control an effective monopoly whereby they charge prohibitive fees to create a barrier to basic access to essential services.

Remember we are not debating the taxation of cars etc here. It is licencing. If a prospective driver has the prerequisite skills to pass a test he should not find prohibitive cost, time or regulatory requirements placed upon him effectively precluding him from doing so.