Automatic Driving Lessons in Donabate
North Fingal coastal commuter village.
See if we have an automatic instructor in Donabate
30-second check. We'll confirm pricing and the next free slot near you.
What learners across Fingal say
Verified Google reviews from the wider Fingal area.
I passed my test recently in Mulhuddart Maple House and had Richard Finnegan as my driving instructor. I did pre tests and hired the car from Richie, and I’m so grateful for all his help and patience.
I recently completed a number of pretest lessons with Richie Finnegan. His outstanding level of expertise, teaching and calmness allowed me to recently pass my driving test at the first attempt in Mulhuddart.
I completed some recommend Pre tests with Richie Finnegan in the Blanchardstown area and passed my test first time! I couldn’t recommend Richie enough, he was so patient and understanding and answered any questions that I had.
Three reasons learners here choose automatic
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01
Stop-and-go traffic without the stalls
Around Newbridge House and Farm, you'll deal with bunched-up traffic, parked cars, and pedestrians stepping off the kerb. In an automatic you can keep your eyes on the road instead of the bite point.
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02
Junction work, not gear work
R126 approach from the dual-carriageway, Portrane Road peninsula loop, narrow village centre, R132 coastal corridor. Junctions like these are where most learners pick up faults. A two-pedal car removes the gear-and-clutch decision so you can focus on observation and timing.
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03
Buses, cyclists, and shared lanes
Iarnrod Eireann Commuter Donabate station. You'll share lane space with buses and cyclists from your first lesson. Automatic gear shifts keep your road position smooth when traffic is moving in fits.
How EDT works in Donabate, step by step
The 12-hour programme every Category B learner has to complete before sitting the test. Here's the order it actually happens in.
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1
Get your learner permit
You need a valid Category B learner permit before you can start EDT. How to apply.
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2
Book your 12 lessons
Call us on 01 902 3100 or book online. We match you with an EDT-certified instructor covering Donabate.
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3
Complete the 12 hours
Your instructor delivers the 12 EDT units in sequence and signs off each one in your logbook. Most learners spread this over two to three months.
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4
Practice between lessons
Your logbook has a Sponsor Driver section. A nominated driver with two-plus years on a full licence records practice time between sessions.
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5
Get test-ready
Once all 12 sessions are signed off, you can book your driving test. Most learners add a few extra lessons before they feel confident, plus a pretest.
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6
Sit the test
We provide an automatic for the test as part of the pretest package, so you sit the test in the same car you trained in. Test centre: Finglas RSA test centre.
Three ways to start in Donabate
Pick the row that fits where you are. All prices include pickup and drop-off in Donabate.
| What you get | EDT package | Pretest + car hire | Gift voucher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | 12 one-hour lessons | 1 mock + test-day hire | 1, 6, or 12-lesson packs |
| RSA logbook signed off | Add-on | ||
| Same automatic on test day | Add-on | ||
| Best for | New learners doing their EDT | Test-ready learners adding final prep | A gift for someone else |
| Price | €659.24 €54.94 per lesson | €193.81 includes test-day car hire | From €61.41 single-lesson voucher |
| Book | Book EDT | Book pretest | Build a voucher |
Or call 01 902 3100 and we'll set it up over the phone.
What our pretest fixes, fault by fault
Examiners mark you against seven categories on a fault sheet. A pretest with us covers the four where most learners lose marks.
Observation faults
Mirrors, blind spots, head-checks at junctions. The most common reason people fail. Your pretest mock includes a live observation audit so you know what your shoulders are doing without thinking.
Progress and pace
Hesitation at junctions, slow pull-aways, dawdling at roundabouts. The examiner will mark you down for being too slow as readily as for being too quick. Pretest tells you where you're stalling momentum.
Position on the road
Lane discipline, distance from kerb, roundabout entry lanes. We run the test routes out of Finglas RSA test centre so the position cues you'll need on the day are the ones we drill.
Reaction to hazards
Pedestrians stepping off the kerb, parked cars opening doors, cyclists in shared lanes. Pretest puts you in those moments deliberately and tells you what you need to react to faster.
You also get the same automatic on test day, so you sit the test in the car you trained in. Pickup and drop-off in Donabate on the morning of the test.
Book pretest, €193.81Are you test-ready for Finglas RSA test centre?
Four quick questions. Honest answers only. We use them to point you at the right next step.
Practical details for Donabate
Pickup points, the test centre, and the local context every Donabate learner deals with.
- Newbridge House
- Donabate Library
- Donabate village
- Donabate church
Or wherever else suits you in Donabate, your home, your work, your college.
Common questions about lessons in Donabate
A single automatic lesson is €61.41. Our best value is the 12-lesson EDT package at €659.24, which works out at €54.94 per lesson. Every lesson in Donabate includes pickup and drop-off, and the same automatic comes back for your driving test if you book the pretest add-on.
Pickup is flexible. Your instructor collects you anywhere within Donabate: your home, work, college, or one of the named pickup points shown on the map above. You're back at the same spot at the end of the lesson.
Learners in Donabate typically sit their driving test at Finglas RSA test centre. We design our pretest lessons around the routes the examiner uses out of that centre, and we provide the automatic for test day so you don't have to learn a new car the day of the test.
Yes. Every instructor we send to Donabate is EDT certified and on the RSA Approved Driving Instructor register. That's a regulatory requirement, not a marketing line. Our 12-lesson automatic package covers the full EDT programme: 12 one-hour sessions, logbook signed off lesson by lesson, sponsor-driver practice slots between lessons.
Yes. We provide an automatic car for the test as part of our pretest package. Note that if you sit the test in an automatic, your full licence is restricted to automatic vehicles. To get a full manual licence later, you would train and test in a manual car separately. For most learners that restriction doesn't matter. Automatic, hybrid, and electric cars are the majority of new cars sold in Ireland.
Other automatic-friendly areas near Donabate
We cover 6+ surrounding neighbourhoods in Fingal. Pick the one closest to your pickup point.