Fórsa has sought the retention of several temporary driver tester contracts along with the hiring of full-time driving testers, to meet the huge demand and clear the backlog for driving tests.

The move comes as testers raised concerns that they were being put at risk due to the significant backlog of tests, and the new Road Safety Authority (RSA) rule that allows cars without a valid National Car Test (NCT) to be used in driving tests.

Last Friday Fórsa was notified that several temporary contracts were to be extended, and the RSA will be looking at ways in which to alleviate the backlog problem. It is hoped that additional drivers will be employed to help with the demand.

The union’s priority is on the health and safety of its members and it will continue to work with the RSA to ensure these demands are met. The RSA temporarily relaxed rules around the obligation to have an up-to-date NCT because of long delays for motorists in getting an appointment to have their cars checked.

Fórsa continues to advise driver tester members to adhere to the controls in place with respect to identifying any potential risk and this includes having a valid NCT on the car being used for the test.

Fórsa official Derek Kelleher explained that the NCT service is supervised and monitored by a supervisory service contractor and technical services provider on behalf of the RSA.

“The union has been working with the RSA to ensure pressure is put on the private contractor who facilitates the NCT test service to ramp up the testing to eliminate the backlog of cars waiting for tests. This includes extra hours and extra staff,” he said.

It remains the case that all testers have the authority to turn away a car that presents as a risk to their health and safety given the condition of the car, as well as the non-display of valid NCT. Currently a major back-log exists on people waiting for their NCT which subsequently puts pressure on the driving testers. 

In correspondence with Fórsa, the RSA also made assurances it was doing everything it could to cut NCT waiting times.

It said: “We continue on a weekly basis to have calls with [the NCT provider] to ensure there is no loss of momentum in getting our services back to the service levels agreed.”

Fórsa will continue to put pressure on the RSA until such service levels are reached.