Getting an earlier date at Carlow
Appointments at Carlow are released and cancelled through the day on ncts.ie. A cancelled slot usually goes to whoever happens to be looking at the calendar in the next few minutes. nctalerts.ie reads the Carlow calendar every minute and emails you the moment a date on or before your deadline appears, with the booking link and the exact steps. You then take the slot yourself on ncts.ie.
Already have a test booked at Carlow? You can still move it. On ncts.ie, sign in with your registration, choose the new date and confirm; the old appointment is released for someone else. Changes made more than five working days out are free of charge.
Nearby alternatives
Waiting times differ a lot between neighbouring centres, especially around Dublin and Cork. The list on this page shows the next date at the five closest centres; watching two or three at once is the fastest way to an earlier test.