IF YOU HAVE booked a driving test for next Wednesday afternoon, the Road Safety Authority has some bad news.

Because of an industrial action by testers, around 400 of next Wednesday’s tests will be delayed, the RSA has confirmed.

The RSA says customers who are due to take their test that day are being notified of the disruption and plans are in place to reschedule their tests, at no cost, as quickly as possible at times that are convenient for them.

The dispute centres on outsourcing by the RSA. IMPACT says that the RSA has reneged on a recommendation to hire reserve testers.

The RSA however says it is in compliance “with numerous recommendations and rulings by the LRC”.

“[The RSA has] established a panel of five reserve Driver Testers to assist in reducing the impact of short-notice sick leave absences on customers and to continue to deliver a high quality service.

“In 2012, 11,880 driving tests were not conducted due to sick leave taken by driver testers. 8,200 of these tests were not covered from spare capacity and as a result, the RSA had to reschedule the affected candidates’ tests, free of charge at a cost of €697,000 to the authority. This is obviously in addition to the massive inconvenience caused to our customers as a result of having their tests cancelled, often at short notice.

“The RSA is extremely disappointed with the stance taken by IMPACT.”

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