The AA has dismissed changes to the driving test as a relatively pointless exercise in the absence of major reform of the testing system.
From next Monday, people sitting the test will be required to know how 10 parts of their vehicles, including lights, oil, steering and brakes, are checked and serviced.
AA spokesman Conor Faughnan said today that, while the change was useful, the fact remained that up to one-fifth of Irish drivers only had a provisional license.
"It's broadly positive, but it's not going to make a huge difference either to the driving test itself or to standards of road safety," he said.
"Dramatically more important from Ireland's point of view is to get to grips with the whole fiasco surrounding the administration of the driving test. At the moment, there's a 12-month wait to do the driving test, which is completely farcical."