The Irish transport and haulage industry is in the throes of a severe driver shortage, with estimates suggesting that around 2,000 additional drivers are urgently required. According to the Irish Road Haulage Association, the industry faces a critical shortage of drivers.
To bridge this gap, Irish haulage firms have turned to South Africa for recruitment, leveraging a work permit scheme that was expanded in 2021.
But some South African drivers are having to wait months to get their documents in order and start work. Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly raised concerns in the Dáil on Wednesday 18th October about the difficulties faced by these drivers and indeed Irish hauliers.
“Businesses contact me weekly regarding the delays facing fully qualified heavy goods vehicle, HGV, drivers from outside the State, especially South African ones, who are experiencing difficulties in obtaining an appointment with the National Driver Licence Service to get HGV driving licence.
The process is that South African drivers have to get Personal Public Service, PPS, numbers, complete professional competence courses, exchange their existing licences for EU licences and then get digital tachograph cards to be able to drive a truck. According to O’Reilly, the drivers have to wait three months to get the licence from the NDLS.
“Drivers who arrive here with approval to work and who are very much needed to do the work are going home because they are left waiting so long for the relevant driving licence,” O’Reilly explained.
She also urged the government to provide more protection for employers grappling with this issue.
“It is seriously impacting transport and the haulage sector. I spoke to a haulier recently who has had two drivers who went back to South Africa,” she added
The question arose as Dáil Éireann was discussing nationwide problems around driving tests as lengthy waiting times for are causing frustration and disruption for aspiring motorists, with some facing delays of nearly a year to sit their tests. The delays, which have increased by 61% over the past year, are attributed to a shortage of testers and have raised concerns about the impact on individuals’ lives and the broader economy.
The average waiting time for a driving test in Ireland currently stands at 30.4 weeks, with some test centres experiencing even longer delays. This means that individuals who have completed their driving lessons and are ready to take their test are facing significant delays in obtaining their full driving licenses.
The lengthy waiting times are also having a broader impact on the economy. Businesses that rely on drivers, such as delivery companies and transport services, are facing staffing shortages and difficulties meeting customer demand.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA), responsible for conducting driving tests, has acknowledged the issue and attributed it to a shortage of testers. The RSA has committed to recruiting additional testers, but the process has been slow, and the shortage persists.
The government has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and has pledged to address the shortage of testers. However, progress has been slow, and motorists continue to face lengthy delays.