Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 6: To ask the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport his views on proposals to include road safety on the reformed junior certificate cycle; if consideration will be given in this respect to the Finnish model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23083/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The junior certificate is, in the first instance, a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. However, I believe that the reformed junior certificate, and the proposed short courses in particular, offer significant opportunities for important cross-subject learning. Education in the area of road safety is one such possibility.

The Road Safety Authority's current approach to road safety education is to deliver road user education in a cumulative, age appropriate approach commencing in preschool settings, through to third level and on into community settings. Road safety education ensures all road users develop appropriate attitudes and safe behaviours. The authority's road safety educational programmes are not currently compulsory but are aligned with the relevant curriculum strands in each educational setting.

While we have made significant progress on road safety in recent years, we need to continue to focus on ways of making our roads safer. A key factor in road safety is driver behaviour, and education clearly has an important role in influencing the behaviour of existing and future drivers. The proposed development of the junior cycle programme presents opportunities for the Road Safety Authority to further develop its existing road safety programme, Streetwise. This programme could be developed to take advantage of the proposed short courses - 100 hours - or integrated into the priority learning units outlined in "Towards a Framework for the Junior Cycle: Proposals for Junior Cycle Development". I continue to engage with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, with a view to progressing this matter, and will keep the House advised of such progress.

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I appreciate the Minister does not have an input in the design of the junior certificate but his intervention with regard to the need to include some road safety training in the junior certificate programme could be critical. A few years ago I visited a secondary school in my county.

The teacher told me she had a group of boys in the class whom she could keep engaged only by promising that if they were quiet and participated in class she would take them out afterwards and show them the engine in her new car. There is an interest in the mechanics of the car, among boys in particular, although I do not exclude the female student population. We should harness this positivity. We should look at what is happening in Finland, in that country's education process, whether it is the use of simulators, having self-evaluation or even bringing driving instructors into schools. We can tease out the details but I welcome that the Minister is exploring the idea of incorporating this into the junior certificate. I look forward to his work with the Minister for Education and Skills.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I very much welcome the Deputy's comments. This is certainly something we will consider in the context of the next road safety strategy which is in the process of being formulated. There are already many road safety programmes in schools, such as the Simon and Friends preschool programme, the Be Safe programme or the annual back to school campaigns. They offer a great deal of education in road safety that was not available in schools in the past, certainly not when we were in school. In addition, some local authorities have road safety officers, which is important. The proposal now being developed is to make this type of education one of the modules a student can take for the new junior certificate. It would not be compulsory but I imagine it would be very popular, particularly with young men, especially if it allowed them to do the theory test or make some progress towards getting a driving licence. Obviously, this is a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills rather than for me but it is one of the areas we are working on together. In addition, there is a possibility of making sports one of the modular subjects in the new junior certificate.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I agree with the Minister. It is important that we improve teaching in this area in schools. I note, too, we have a fairly good record in road safety. In 2009, an OECD report on road deaths and risks in Ireland showed fewer deaths per capita, per vehicle and per billion vehicular kilometre than in Finland. I know we can improve but if we are beating Finland we must be doing something right.