Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I appreciate there is an opportunity to speak on the matter later as the Bill is being discussed in the House.

We have seen a substantial number of U-turns from the Minister for Transport — more than any learner driver would dare to make. The road safety strategy has been significantly undermined by the changes in approach by the Minister in recent days. It is unfortunate because it is such a serious issue. Many people died on the roads last weekend. It is clear that tackling the problems with the driving licence system should be a priority. Drink driving and speeding are key issues which are not addressed in the strategy as much as they should be. Not enough action has been taken. The strategy does not deal with the shortage of CCTV cameras, for example.

Many provisional licence holders are worried that they will not get an opportunity to do their tests by June of next year. The Government has had ten years to get this right. It is extraordinary that it has not managed to put a proper driving test system in place in that time. That people who apply for driving tests might not be called for 30 or 40 weeks is a demonstration of the Government's terrible incompetence. Can the Leader tell the House whether people who are on provisional licences will be guaranteed to get a chance to sit the driving test by next June? Can it be guaranteed that if people have not been called by next June, the Minister will come back to the House to give them an opportunity to sit the test? What will the Minister do in such circumstances? The uncertainty about whether learner drivers will be called to sit the test before June 2008 is causing them huge stress and anxiety.