Jimmy Devins (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on the Bill designed to establish a driver testing and standards authority. I welcome the fact that the new authority will be based in Ballina where the headquarters of the existing driver testing service is located. While Ballina is not in my constituency, it is on its border and I am sure many in Sligo-Leitrim as well as Mayo will be delighted at the location of the new authority. The decision to locate such an important authority in the west of Ireland is another example of the Government's commitment to the retention and development of life outside Dublin.

Since the driving test was first introduced in 1964, more than 2.4 million tests have been carried out. Driving tests are conducted to ensure that each user of a motor vehicle has attained an appropriate level of competency, which is of critical importance at a time in which approximately one person is killed on our roads each day. It is essential that those who use motor vehicles are qualified to drive them. The test is the first step in the process.

The increase in the number of cars on the road has been matched by an increase in applications for tests. There are currently in excess of 120,000 applications for tests on file with the result that the waiting time is now approximately 38 weeks. While there has been some reduction in waiting times, 38 weeks is still far too long. I welcome the Minister's announcement that the Bill is a first step in a process to reduce waiting times still further. People should not have to wait for between 30 and 38 weeks to undergo a test which is why we must aim to ensure that applicants can be confident of taking tests within a couple of weeks of applying. It will be the duty of the new authority to ensure a proper service is available to members of the public within a reasonable time of applying for a test.

The issue of what constitutes a driving test has received a great deal of attention in the media. Before I consider the contents of the test, however, I will discuss preparation for it. It is currently the case that any person may operate as a driving instructor provided he or she has a full driving licence. As the Minister has already stated, driving instructors are not currently required to register, in which context, like many other Members, I have been approached by people working in the industry. It is ludicrous that there are no regulations in place to require driving instructors to establish their bona fides. Members of the public approach instructors to learn to drive before undertaking the test, but in the industry to which they turn anyone can set up a business without there being a check on his or her qualifications.

I stress that most instructors are eminently qualified, having undergone training to reach the requisite level of competence and that a register exists on which more than three quarters of instructors are listed. The register has been compiled with funding from the Department of Transport and attained ISO 9001 accreditation. To become a registered person, it is necessary for an instructor to demonstrate that he or she has attained a certain level of proficiency in instruction. I suggest to the Minister that one of the first functions of the new authority should be to regularise the position of driving instructors to allow members of the public to have confidence that their tuition is being provided by a fully approved person. I welcome the Minister's commitment to allowing existing instructors who can show that they are bona fide operators to continue to teach before undergoing the appropriate competency tests.

To undergo a test a driver must be familiar with the driving of a car. As this can only be achieved through repeated practice and instruction, it is necessary to provide for provisional driving licences. Considerable media attention has focused on provisionally licensed drivers and their rate of involvement in fatal accidents. Some commentators have stated the holders of provisional licences are responsible for the deaths of at least 10% of those who die on Irish roads, while others have suggested the real figure may be as high as 20%. It is often forgotten in this debate that before an applicant is granted a provisional licence, he or she must undergo the theory test introduced in 2001. The test consists of computerised questions with multiple-choice answers.

It might be possible to include in the theory test a driving simulation similar to those that feature in many computer games to examine the ability of a test applicant before he or she obtains a provisional licence. A simulation test might prepare an applicant for the process of driving a car. Likewise, the requirement by a provisional licence holder to display the letter "P" should be rigorously enforced. This will ensure other motorists understand that an inexperienced driver is driving a car. However, at the end of the day, nothing beats the presence of an experienced instructor with a learner driver in a car.

While I recognise that new and more involved questions must be asked of drivers as to how the mechanics of the motor vehicle operates, the reality is that most, if not all, modern cars have a very comprehensive console which indicates if such things as oil or brakes need to be changed. A frequent requirement of drivers is to have the ability to change a tyre, yet this is not tested in a practical manner by the current test. I suggest that a more practical approach to new elements of the driving test might be of longer term benefit. I welcome the Bill and commend it to the House.

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