Confusion over the location of two west Dublin driving test centres has resulted in learner drivers missing appointments and the centres having higher than average “no show” rates.
The centres in Mulhuddart are at Maple House in Rosemount Business Park, and at Carlton Hotel on the old Navan Road.
Thomas Hand, a 17-year-old learner driver from Portrane, Co Dublin, got a cancellation appointment on June 26th for his test and arrived at Maple House centre. “Despite being on time, I was informed I had missed my appointment,” he said.
He arrived at the wrong test centre because his GPS defaulted to the main centre “with no listing for the Carlton Hotel location”.
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He was deemed a “no show” and told he would have to apply again for his test. “Staff told me this is a recurring issue and that multiple candidates miss tests because of this confusion,” he said.
His “no show” appointment was his third test. He had previously secured cancellations for his first test in Finglas on May 16th and his second in Tallaght on June 5th. The teenager said he needed to pass his test by August when his insurance was due for renewal as he would not be able to afford the learner driver premium next time.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) said the test appointment confirmation “clearly states the address and eircode of the chosen location” and applicants should “read the communication that issues to them”.
The RSA “has not received a significant level of complaints on this issue. Nevertheless, to avoid possible confusion, we will include ‘Mulhuddart’ in the Maple House Google Maps entry”.
Dublin West Fine Gael TD Emer Currie said one of the centres “could easily be renamed to avoid confusion, but since 2023 the RSA hasn’t done so”.
She said “this is one of a number of simple things the RSA could do to make the testing system more efficient and reduce no-shows”, which in 2023 and 2024 totalled 15,103.
In a parliamentary reply, Ms Currie received figures showing tens of thousands of learners are “pausing” their applications rather than pushing for a test date.
Between 2022 and 2024, a total of 166,975 driving-test applications were “paused” including 51,538 last year alone.
She said the figures needed to be investigated because they represented about 18 per cent of applications and they indicated that learners were using the driving-test confirmation to renew their learner permit and pause their application instead.
Susan Gray, of road safety campaign group Parc, said it shows “how easy and how many can game the system”. She said 8,600 failed to show last year for their test, but “people don’t even have to select a date. They just apply to go on a waiting list and then use that letter to renew their permit”.
The RSA and Department of Transport have agreed legislative changes to reduce the number of long-term learner permit holders on Irish roads, although no date has been given for implementation.
The RSA said: “Third or subsequent permits will only be issued if the applicant has taken a driving test within the previous two years – booking a test will no longer be sufficient.
“No more than four consecutive learner permits will be allowed. After the fourth, the individual must restart the entire process” including the theory test and lessons.
