A Dublin driving test centre has a waiting list nearly three and a half months. 

According to new figures released by campaign group Parc, waiting times are dropping and the average learner can now expect to on a list for less than 10 weeks for a driving test.

However, residents of Tallaght in South Country Dublin, still have to wait for more than three months for a test. 

“The important thing to note is that waiting time represents not when you’ll be called to your test but when you’ll actually be invited to apply for your test,”  motoring expert Ger Herbert explained on The Pat Kenny Show.  

“So, there can be another two to five weeks on top of that wait.”

Ms Herbert checked another 10 centres and found significant variations across the country. 

“In the likes of Athlone, you’re looking at being invited to sit your test around the 29th September,” she said. 

“In Tallaght, that is the 8th December - so, a huge difference there. 

“In Donegal, it’s 3rd November; in Finglas, it’s 6th October; Killarney is the 15th October. 

“Mallow is the 24th November.” 

An L plate. Picture by: Alamy.com.  learner driver plate on rear of a car in ireland

The data also revealed that the RSA is making huge sums from no shows. 

In June alone this year, 699 did not show up for their test, netting the RSA €59,415 - or €85 per applicant. 

“They currently require 10 days notice for fee refunds - which does seem a bit excessive to me,” Ms Herbert said. 

“I think it would make a big difference if they reduced this to 48 or 72 hours. 

“I’m sure people don’t want to lose the fee but at that point, once it’s 10 days, you probably think to yourself there’s no point [cancelling], so I won’t bother.

“They definitely need to look at this whole system.

“If they free up half of those no shows would actually make a big difference to the current testing capacity.” 

She added that making it easier to cancel a test, might help people on the waiting list. 

“If you literally cancel within 48 hours, there’s nothing to suggest that that slot then becomes available,” she said. 

“When somebody doesn’t show up, a lot of those slots just seem to go to waste. 

“I think there’s a huge inefficiency in the system in that sense.”

Main image: A teenage driver celebrates passing his driving test waving his L plates in the air. Picture by: Alamy.com.