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DRIVER THEORY TESTS are being suspended for six weeks in light of Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions.
However, some other Road Safety Authority (RSA) services have been classified by the government as essential under Level 5.
Here’s a breakdown of how RSA’s services will be affected during the new restrictions, which kick in at midnight…
Driving test
People can attend their scheduled driving test appointment provided they are an essential worker involved in the provision of essential services or essential retail.
The RSA said it does not hold details that would identify the employment status of any customers among those who have been given a test date to sit a driving test over the next six weeks. As a result, it will not be cancelling any existing scheduled driving tests.
“It is a matter for each individual with a driving test date to satisfy themselves that they are involved in delivering an essential service or essential retail outlet,” the RSA said.
People who are not essential workers are asked to cancel their appointment online.
Essential workers who have an appointment for a driving test over the next six weeks should attend as normal.
Anyone travelling to a driving test centre to sit a driving test, and is an essential worker, is exempt from Level 5 travel restrictions.
National Driver Licence Service (NDLS)
Essential workers can attend an appointment at an NDLS centre over the next six weeks.
Again, the RSA does not hold details that would identify the employment status of any customers among those who have a booking at an NDLS centre over the next six weeks, therefore it is not cancelling any existing customer bookings.
Essential workers who have an appointment at an NDLS centre over the next six weeks should attend as normal.
Anyone travelling to an NDLS centre to apply for or renew their driving licence or learner permit and is an essential worker is exempt from Level 5 travel restrictions.
People who have bookings and are non-essential workers are asked to cancel on www.ndls.ie.
Driver Theory Test
The government has not classified the Driver Theory Test as an essential service.
As a result, the RSA is suspending the providing of the service in light of Level 5 restrictions.
All Driver Theory Tests will be suspended following the conclusion of the last test today for a period of six weeks.
Candidates who have a driver theory test scheduled up to 30 November will be contacted to notify them that their test will be rescheduled free of charge when the service resumes.
NCT
The NCT service has been identified as an essential service.
Anyone with an existing appointment to attend an NCT centre should attend as normal and is exempt from Level 5 travel restrictions. Vehicle owners requiring retests should attend at the NCT test centre as normal.
Cash will not be accept at the NCT centre when making payment as a result of Covid-19.
Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing (CVRT)
The CVRT has been identified as an essential service and centres remain open.
Anyone with an appointment to attend a CVRT centre should attend as normal and are exempt from Level 5 travel restrictions.
Approved Driving Instructor (ADI)
Approved Driving Instructors have been classified as providing an essential service.
ADIs can continue to provide instruction during Level 5 to people who have a book reserved to undergo a driving test.
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How are the young people supposed to get lessons and a test. Already waiting lists for lessons and tests. Living in a rural area and no option of public transport
@Tara Quinn: Theyre not, unfortunately – there’s a pandemic on
@Dave Harris: fantastic attitude from the ole lads on here, glad to know, we’ll look after you in your old age…
@Conor Doherty Coughlan: yea…but their kinda is a pandemic…and people are dying, let’s all car pool by your comment, I wouldn’t let a family member of mine be in a car with a stranger they have never met, and not knowing their social contacts, would you?
@Anthony Edward Healy: oh a driving lesson is priority. Get kids a bike or get them to walk
@Anthony Edward Healy: i never said it was priority but extra resources are needed to get through the wait times when this is over. It’s not possible to bike or walk in rural areas
@Tara Quinn: We should temporarily go back to the old system. I drove from 1999 to 2008 on a green licence without ever sitting a test and never had a crash or a speeding fine. Let the essential youngsters drive, there will be no traffic anyway.
@Tara Quinn: Hang on, Not possible to bike or walk in rural areas, so where do the cars drive?
@Anthony Edward Healy: fml
@Tara Quinn: you are actually a Troll, saying people in Rural areas can’t walk or cycle, are you a goat living in the edge of of a cliff? Genuine question?
@Tara Quinn: its a farce that young people can face dire consequences if they are driving unaccompanied on a Learner Permit, when they are being forced to give up their Driving Test appointment to an essential worker. Their car is essential to them. The government need to suspend the legislation surrounding the seizing of cars from unaccompanied learner drivers, and reduce the penalty to a warning or at most a fixed penalty without points, as in pay €80 and on your way. Otherwise, why on earth would any learner driver give up their appointment, the consequences are too big, and it will likely take many many months before they get a new test date. Its nonsensical to me. Screwing the youth again…as always.
@Anthony Edward Healy: I think what Tara means is that in rural areas there are no footpaths and generally narrower rural roads which are never in great repair and with overgrown hedges along them sometimes, which means its not the safest place for a cyclist or pedestrian. I certainly wouldnt like to walk along a rural road for any stretch, and you are pretty vulnerable cycling along them too. Also…what if its raining??? For people in these areas you could be 5 – 10 miles from the nearest town or village with a shop, or post office. Would you walk or cycle that distance and back on a windy rural road…in the rain??? Sometimes…you just need a car. And its not fair to remove the ability of a person to use their only means of accessing essential services, like a shop or post office, if they cant legally use their car due to their NCT being out of date or they are an unaccompanied Learner Driver. Clearly the government have not thought about even the most basic of consequences of their policy decision here…beyond thinking of essential workers, and only their needs. It seems the law of unintended consequences is something the government are eager to ignore…thus leaving the ordinary average person at the mercy of the Gardai at a checkpoint.
My son had his test cancelled in March and was due to do it this Friday while my oldest son is wanting for his driving test. Young people are paying the highest price in these restrictions.
@Tom Leddy:
Tell your son to turn up for his test.
Im sure it is essential for him.
All he has to say is that he needs it for work
@Tom Leddy: its a farce Tom, that young people can face dire consequences if they are driving unaccompanied on a Learner Permit, when they are being forced to give up their Driving Test appointment to an essential worker. Their car is essential to them. The government need to suspend the legislation surrounding the seizing of cars from unaccompanied learner drivers, and reduce the penalty to a warning or at most a fixed penalty without points, as in pay €80 and on your way. Otherwise, why on earth would any learner driver give up their appointment, the consequences are too big, and it will likely take many many months before they get a new test date. Its nonsensical to me. Screwing the youth again…as always.
You can get your car tested by NCT but you cannot get cancer treatment due to COVID. What a fantastic Country we live in
@Paul Dolan: That’s odd. Friend of mine is having his regular treatment in St. James on Friday. They called him yesterday morning saying they were contacting patients to reassure them that schedules would continue as normal. Whose talking shlte, them or you ?
@Tommy Roche: good to hear, hope it goes well for yer mate
I got a letter today cancelling my N.C.T. for the 12/11.
I went onto the website to rebook it and yes my test is now on the 12/11 in the same test centre.
So basically drivers test is the Ryanair of its sector…if your an essential worker you attend for test and 5 km exemption. However if you not essential worker cancel your test however if this is a second cancellation we’ll guess who keeps your money…..
I passed my test 2 weeks ago and have an appointment for this coming Tuesday. I booked the appointment before level 3 was implemented and I’m not an essential worker. How does this affect me? I’m a full time health science student and need to get to college for practicals.
@Michelle J. Ni Dhubhlaiocht: You’ll just have to take your chances. If you’re stopped at a checkpoint explain the situation. You’ll either be told carry on or turn around, it depends on the guard you meet I assume.
So what is getting a license is “essential” to me actually living? Does that count? Or is the government putting everyone into nice neat boxes?
Can they not just be asked to bring some sort of proof that they’re essential workers to the driving test centre. I can’t see anyone not agreeing to do so, it’s not that complicated. Anyone could turn up & say, oh I’m a Doctor, nurse etc etc.
This doesn’t make any since, if you’re following the guidelines you’re at home without contact to others and less likely to have it whereas if you work in essential retail you’ve constant contact with different people. Doesn’t make since to stop people isolating
While I understand the need to do this, there are a large amount of people who rely solely on their cars to get around to do things. Like people living with elderly relatives who need to do shopping for them but dont live in a town. But its taking many months to get these precious appointments for an NCT test or a Driving test. So, if they gave up their spot, but still need a car to get to the shop or an appointment etc, if they are stopped on the road by Gardai and their NCT is out of date, or they are driving unaccompanied on a Leaner Permit, then they will have their vehicle confiscated and have penalty points applied. So why would anyone give up their place to an essential worker for a driving test or an NCT test??? Especially as it could be many many months before they get another one. Other people still need to use their vehicles for essential means like shopping, attending appointments, going to a funeral. If the government were thinking straight and hoping to get people to give up these appointments for an NCT test or Driving test, then they need to limit the consequences of those driving a car with an NCT which has just gone out of date, or a Learner driver, driving unaccompanied. If they dont…then why the hell would anyone risk the consequences of driving their cars in these situations, and possibly being caught and dealt with harshly by the Gardai. It literally doesnt make any sense to me why anyone would give up a precious appointment for anything, let alone an essential worker. There will be very few people I think willing to give up these appointments, given the amount of Gardai on the road, and the consequences they face if they are caught driving without a valid NCT or on a learner permit unaccompanied.
I may be stating the obvious that because something is essential doesn’t mean less risk of Covid.
@Pat Maher: Oh course it doesn’t mean it’s less risk of Covid. But we as a population need these essential people for food, medical treatment etc etc etc, so obviously they’ll be made the priorities & rightly so. Cause them as little inconvenience as possible, so they can focus on the essential work they do for us.
I’m guessing short-term part-time retail jobs are going to be very very popular right now, as young people use these to get their driving lessons and driving test appointments.
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