The Road Safety Authority say they're hoping to be able to tackle the backlog of driving tests later in the year.
Non-essential workers are being encouraged to cancel their driving tests as under current level 5 restrictions only essential workers are permitted to take the test.
15,000 people are scheduled to sit their driving test in the next five weeks while an additional 65,000 are waiting for a driving test date.
The Road Safety Authority have confirmed to RedFM News they have been given the green light to hire an additional 40 testers.
However speaking to RedFM News Brian Farrell of the Road Safety Authority says the impact of these additional testers on the backlog won't be felt until later in the year.
"We're looking at early summer before they're deployed and out testing, and it's only at the stage that we'll be able to start making inroads into reducing the backlog of people waiting for a test.
"This all depends on us returning to some sort of normality and not being in Level 5 lockdown all the time, where the service is restricted to essential workers only."
