In 2019, the RSA issued just 2,366 tractor learner permits. Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has been called on to urgently increase the testing capacity for the driver theory test, with a reported backlog of over 100,000 people. IFA farm business chair Rose Mary McDonagh said it could be assumed that thousands of essential workers were being prevented from securing a tractor licence due to the ongoing delays. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has announced that it is capable of providing only 4,000 online tests per month using an online ProProctor platform. Backlog McDonagh said the limited number of online tests would not make any meaningful progress in addressing the backlog.