Fine Gael has accused the Minister for Transport Martin Cullen of "re-announcing" a package of measures aimed at cutting the backlog of those waiting to sit their driving test.
Mr Cullen said earlier today he hoped to have his plan in place by January to clear the backlog. He said the matter had been discussed at Cabinet. "Within 12 to 18 months I want the backlog gone," he said.
However, Fine Gael transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said the Minister was re-announcing a package that he had "made a mess of the first time around".
"I believe that the current driver-testing backlog is intolerable. It is unacceptable from a customer service point of view that test applicants can find themselves waiting up to 60 weeks for a test date," he said.
There are almost 130,000 people waiting to sit their driving test in the State, a figure that is growing by an average of 1,500 a month.
His plan faces opposition from unions opposed to Mr Cullen's plan to outsource 40,000 driver tests to a private company over the next two years. Four companies have tendered for this contract and the Department has a preferred bidder.
The unions wrote to Mr Cullen on Friday last seeking a Labour Relations Commission meeting hearing on the issue, under the provisions of the Sustaining Progress national agreement.
A spokesman for the union said it was deeply unhelpful for the Minister "to make this announcement when the issue is currently in a disputes process agreed by the Government, employers and unions under Sustaining Progress".
The existing driver testers claim they can clear the backlog at least as quickly as the private company if a programme of overtime was introduced. This would see the existing driver testers working later into the evening and at weekends. The plan was put to Department officials at a meeting last week.
However, this was not been accepted by the Department and both sides are now awaiting a date to bring their dispute to the Labour Relations Commission.
Mr Cullen said at a meeting of the Society of the Irish Motoring Industry (Simi): "I have put forward a proposal to deal with this matter, one that I believe to be deliverable, fair and most importantly, effective".