More than 2,500 learner drivers have had to reschedule their driving tests following the closure of a test centre in Drogheda.
The temporary centre at the Drogheda Town football club in Marian park closed abruptly at the start of this month.
The Road Safety Authority has contacted 2,717 people who have applied to sit their driving test in the county Louth town.
Those customers have been asked to transfer their applications to an alternative centre like Dundalk or Navan and have been assured they will not lose their place in the waiting list for a test.
"They will slot into the queue relative to other candidates who have already applied to that centre", the RSA said in a statement.
Patricia Buckler of A1 School of Motoring in Drogheda has been a driving instructor for the past 23 years.
She said that people were only notified of the closure the day before it happened.
"It's a huge inconvenience for everyone. Those 2,700 people who were waiting on their test here, they’ve to get someone to go out of their way to bring them to Dundalk or Navan", she said.
Ms Buckler said that learner drivers are still taking their mandatory 12 tests in the town, but that many are now paying for double and triple pre-test lessons to facilitate them learning the new test route in Dundalk or Navan.
She said this is costly for young drivers or their parents, as well as meaning that driving instructors are on the road more.
"Instead of going around in circles in Drogheda, we're going up and down to Dundalk and over and back to Navan. We're not lacking in lessons but it means we’re on the road 24/7," she said.
Ms Buckler said that all driving instructors in Drogheda would like to see a permanent driving test centre in the town.
"We’re the biggest town in Ireland, it’s not fair on the younger people", she said.
The temporary centre opened in February 2021 and catered for cars and light vans. Prior to this, learner drivers had to complete their tests elsewhere.
The RSA said the centre was a temporary solution to deliver tests in the town and surrounding area while it searched for more suitable accommodation.
However, in the intervening period, the RSA said that it had difficulty in finding an alternative temporary or permanent site and despite discussions with residents with a view to extending the lease, a decision was taken to close it.
It said that a risk assessment and mitigations were put in place to make the site more suitable but that residents had expressed concerns about the testing remaining at the centre. The RSA said that it put forward further measures that could potentially address those concerns.
"The residents indicated recently saying that our proposals did not address their concerns about the impact on the community and they were opposed to any extension", the RSA said in a statement earlier this month.
It said it "respects the views of local residents" and the "integrity with which they have dealt with this issue", and the RSA thanked them for facilitating the testing centre in the area for the last two years
The RSA said it is committed to providing a testing service in Drogheda and is working with the OPW on this.
It said trying to find a new location for the test centre has been difficult, protracted and frustrating.
It said any proposed site must be on a suitable test route, and that options are limited due to issues including traffic congestion in the town.
"The RSA examined many locations and all were deemed unsuitable for various reasons including lack of parking, significant planning issues and health and safety issues"
Local Labour party TD Ged Nash said this issue has been going on for far too long.
"I'm critical of their inability to find an interim solution, the inability to find a location for a permanent centre and their overall management of the issue recently", he said.
Mr Nash said that everybody knew that the Marian Park site was temporary.
"They had sufficient time and space to be able to extend the centre in Marian Park and they chose at the 11th hour not to do so", he said.
Mr Nash said he had spent months trying to broker a solution to the problem, and had been confident that it would be resolved.
However, he now says that he is "sceptical" of the RSA’s commitment to the town.
