Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It could be somewhere like it. I am quite prepared to put that to the RSA and see what it says about it. I am not qualified to say if it would be a workable proposition. I am as anxious as the Deputy about the testing, the difficulties that young people have in getting tests and the fact it affects their employment. I will certainly ask the Minister for Education and Skills and the RSA about the practicalities of a simulator test of that sort. If the numbers are as large as we say, my guess is there are not enough available simulators to do that. I say genuinely to Deputy Fitzmaurice that any suggestions he has that will get young people off this hook he says they will be on as a result of the driving test issue - I do not doubt that - he should bring them on and I will pass them to the RSA. It is not a problem at all but do not ask me to drop the Bill.

The Deputy also mentioned a limiter on speed but speed is only one of the main contributors to road deaths and collisions. Alcohol, mobile phones and not using safety belts are other factors. The limiter might be a deterrent to some extent but it would not cure the problem we have of unqualified drivers. They are unqualified not just because they may not be in control of their speed but for all sorts of different reasons. They need more than to go slowly to be qualified to drive. I thank the Deputy for all the suggestions and I will certainly refer them to the RSA. I am sorry but I will not delay the Bill.

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