Denise Mitchell, the Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Bay North, has called on the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to scrap plans to shut the Raheny Driving Test Centre, arguing that cutting local capacity will further lengthen waiting times for learner drivers in north Dublin.

Teachta Mitchell said: "I am deeply disappointed by the news that the RSA intends to close the Raheny Driving Test Centre. "Over the years I have consistently argued for an increase in testing capacity in the north Dublin area, particularly as Raheny Test Centre has been one of the country's busiest test centres. Instead, we will now have a situation where 2,855 learner drivers will have to be transferred to Killester Test Centre which is already overstretched and has 1,381 people waiting for a driving test.

"This decision will have a profound impact on many people including workers and students who are relying on a full driving licence in order to access work, education and other family commitments.

"The population in north Dublin has been growing rapidly as a result of many new housing developments, but unfortunately services here simply have not been keeping pace – we see this in areas like healthcare, policing, childcare and in driving test centre capacity. What we need from Government and the RSA is a credible plan to reduce driving test waiting times and that must mean more driving test centres and more permanent testers, not the closure of test centres. I am urging the RSA not to proceed with this closure."