Dáil debates

Thursday, 2 November 2006

3:00 pm

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

At the outset, I apologise to the House for the inability of the Minister, Deputy Cullen, to attend as he has been ill in recent days. I have no doubt Members opposite will accept why he is not present.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (SI No. 477 of 2006), the Road Safety Authority, RSA, has responsibility for the oversight of the operation of the driver licensing system, including the preparation of proposals for draft regulatory provisions relating to driver licensing and testing. At the Minister's request, the Road Safety Authority has been examining the driver licensing system as to what further reforms might be introduced in the interests of road safety. The RSA has submitted to the Minister in recent days a range of proposals with a particular focus on licensing reform and on targeting drivers between 17 and 24 years of age. I share the concern of the RSA board about the high risk factors of death and serious injury to this category of drivers and, with the Minister, I will consider these proposals in the coming weeks.

The Minister met the chief executive of the RSA last week and asked that the authority come back to him as soon as possible with a structured approach to a complete transition, with time lines, from the current regime of provisional licences to a regime of learner permits and restricted category drivers and related learner drivers formation arrangements. Such a complete transition will take some time, but I genuinely feel that there is great potential for saving young lives in this approach. The Minister intends to meet the RSA board in the coming weeks to discuss these matters.

The RSA is in the process of introducing the registration of driving instructors. One of the benefits that I hope will arise from setting standards of instruction is that there will be a greater emphasis on general driving skills and less on merely passing the driving test. It is proposed that driving instruction for all types of vehicle will be covered by the system of regulation. This will lead to a significant improvement in the quality of driving which will produce a road safety dividend for all road users. The provision of special closed driver training grounds for learner drivers is one of the matters the RSA will consider in responding to the request for a structured transition from provisional licences to learner permits and restricted category drivers.

In the area of driver education, the Road Safety Authority has the task of working in partnership with the Department for Education and Science to develop a specific additional road safety resource suitable for transition year pupils. I understand this work is currently under way and details can be obtained directly from the Road Safety Authority. In addition, the Road Safety Authority has a number of initiatives in place to ensure road safety is targeted at schools.

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