28% increase in numbers waiting for Driving Tests in Clare

The number of people waiting for driving tests in County Clare has increased by 28% in the six months to the end of February.

According to figures released to Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara in response to his Parliamentary Question on the matter, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) confirmed 2,403 people were awaiting a test in Clare at the end of August 2022, including Ennis (1473), Shannon (614) and Kilrush (316). Six months later at the end of the February, there were 3,071 awaiting a test in the county, including Ennis (1825 – up 24%), Shannon (845 – up 38%) and Kilrush (401 – up 27%).

The average waiting time for driving tests has doubled since last summer. The RSA informed Michael McNamara in its PQ response that the estimated national average wait time to invite for a car test is 20.1 weeks as of 28 February 2023. At the end July 2022, the national average time to invite for a test in Ireland was just over 10 weeks.