Laois Joint Policing Committee to write to Minister

Laois Joint Policing Committee is to write to the Minister for Transport over the delay in providing tests to learner drivers. 

Cllr Aisling Moran said young people who are left waiting for a driving test shouldn’t be punished for driving unaccompanied. “Kids who would have had their twelve lessons done and they are waiting over a year,” she told the latest Joint Policing meeting. 

“I have a chap that is working in Dublin had to move to Dublin,” she remarked. Cllr Moran said some young people can’t get accommodation in Dublin and get cars in order to commute and they “are left waiting months or years, it’s a disgrace.”  

Chief Superintendent John Scanlan said “we have had this at other JPCs, can we not turn a blind eye to this. Not possible. The issue of driving licence and unaccompanied drivers driving is a matter that is the law.” 

“The availability of driving tests may be a problem, I cannot comment on it. Everybody shows discretion, in particular I think the guards that I have working for us, show as much discretion as is humanly possible when trying to deal with that interface of young people starting out driving but I can’t answer for the licensing authority or the RSA,” said Chief Supt Scanlan.  

Crime evolved during the pandemic, Laois meeting told">Crime evolved during the pandemic, Laois meeting told

When asked if anything could be done in the Dail, Minister of State, Sean Fleming said: “I would suggest write a letter from here to the Minister of Transport. The law is the law.”

Cllr Moran said “the amount of kids that are coming to us and they can’t get their tests and they have their twelve lessons done and they are waiting six to eight months or longer.” 

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said she would support a motion to send a  letter to the Minister. “Anything we can do to progress that process, they shouldn’t be waiting that length of time,” she remarked.