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SOME PEOPLE MAY soon be unable to book their driving test due to an issue with the Road Safety Authority’s (RSA) online learner driver system, instructors have warned.
When an approved driving instructor takes on a new learner driver, they buy a log book from the RSA to keep track of the lessons. The instructor then uses the Essential Driver Training (EDT) online portal to keep a record of this person’s progress.
However, instructors have been unable to upload information about lessons taken by learner drivers who were issued with new log books in recent weeks.
Typically, the log books given to each new learner driver have a unique six-digit number. However, the RSA ran out of six-digit numbers in late December and started to issue log books with seven-digit numbers.
The system was unable to process these log books correctly, meaning instructors cannot upload these learner drivers’ progress.
A number of instructors told The Journal the “antiquated” system was not able to handle the number change and attempts to rectify it – where the system was offline for hours at a time – have not yet fixed the issue.
“It became evident pretty quickly that the antiquated RSA system instructors used to upload the log books to show learner progress, and allow the learner to book a driving test, could not take seven digits,” one instructor said.
This person said a “lack of foresight” by the RSA means this issue will eventually prevent learners from booking tests, if it’s not resolved.
Another instructor said people “won’t be able to apply for tests as there won’t be a record of the lessons being completed”.
Learners need to complete a minimum of 12 one-hour lessons before they can apply to sit their driving test. So, if a person’s lessons are not being logged, they cannot book their test.
A spokesperson for the RSA confirmed the organisation became aware in early January that the portal was “unable to process log book numbers consisting of seven digits”.
In a statement, they told The Journal: “The issue affects learner drivers who were issued with seven-digit serial number EDT logbooks since January 2025 and have commenced their 12 EDT sessions.
The system itself is in place for many years and the limitation in the original system design to six digits was not foreseen.
The spokesperson added that, as soon as they became aware of the issue, the RSA informed all approved driving instructors and took steps to fix it.
Work to resolve the issue is “ongoing”, they said.
“It is regretted that this fix is taking some time to deploy, but we expect that it will be in place in the next week.”
The spokesperson said they will continue to “issue regular updates” to driving instructors and apologised “for the inconvenience caused”.
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‘We will continue to learn from these grave errors’ – RTÉ Director General”
You wont be around to learn from these grave errors, if the t.v licence fee payers have their way.
Is it time to shut down (the very expensive) RTE?
You cannot shut down the national broadcaster. There are many reasons why, public service being the main reason. A lot of what is broadcast will never be commercially viable in the private sector but is in the public interest. There are also various dooms day reasons scenarios in which we need one. If there was a war, major disaster or a number of other reasons that the government need to keep the public informed an have the platform to do this.
But I can agree with the need to streamline it and make it more economical, moving it away from the high paying civil service style organisation it is/was. But for the sake of our sanity, we do not want a TV industry that runs on the cheap, budget, lash it out model. Rte does a lot of things wrong but it also does a lot of very good programming that wouldn’t be possible in the private sector over here..
Sorry did the government just fine rte 200,000 of taxpayers money? Firstly that’s not even a years worth of Joe Duffy and secondly don’t they get their money from the government anyway.
Why is Noel Curran still director general? His position is completely untenable! A mistake of this magnitude can have no other outcome! He’s either stupid or incompetent! I
You will learn nothing from this RTE, you are a shoddy operation run by a very self-interest driven closed shop! You destroyed a mans name but would never make the same mistake with one of your own! I have no love for the Catholic church, just honest decent values of which you hold few!
It’s a crap station with a sub standard programme, so cut off the head of the snake
They don’t learn – Derek Mooney should be Head Of Marketing for the Northern Ireland Enterprise Board as he has done everything in his power to promote it since he started in RTE( a taxpayer funded station). He has admitted on air to shopping fortnightly for food, clothes, household goods, and furniture. I am surprised the advertisers keep advertising with the station as they actively promote job losses through shopping over the border. I hope when he needs a Garda, Fire Brigade, Hospital or Ambulance he rings the people whose jobs he supports. I wish he would get a job up north also as he earns too much down here from his different income streams – 1 man 1 job. Derek has how many different shows ? His greedyness and disrespect for the people who pay his wages is insulting and RTE have to have some responsibility in appointing him to other more lucrative roles in Montrose.
what fine for dropping the ball on the banking and property bubbles? lazy journalism won’t go away with a few trainings and a couple of resignations
Why is their no uproar about this. A man was accused of being a sex offender it might have being anybody thats reading this article. Mr.Noel Curran I call on you to resign.
How did he keep his job
Noel, I know something that you don’t.
Further details by searching in Google for ‘Windle stops swindle’
Cheers
Super Grass
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