Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Moloney for raising this issue, which we have discussed already. I am pleased to respond to the topical issue she has raised. As she will be aware, the driver licensing system is one of the most important foundations of safety on roads. Driving is not a right. It is a privilege which must be earned by learning and proving a capacity to control a mechanically propelled vehicle safely on public roads. The system of driver licensing we operate in Ireland has come a long way over the past decade. Ten years ago, anyone could fill out a form and get on the roads without prior testing of any sort. We allowed learners to drive unaccompanied. As a consequence, an enormous number of drivers did not seem concerned with the need to take the driving test.

A system of graduated driver licensing is now in place in Ireland. This stepped approach to the driver learning process focuses on the acquisition of skills and experience, rather than simply on passing a test. The first step in the introduction of graduated driver licensing was taken in the Road Traffic Act 2006, which replaced the old provisional licence with the learner permit. This was not just a change of name. Under Irish law, it is an offence to drive without a licence. A provisional licence was a licence, but a learner permit is not. It is a permit to drive while learning, subject to certain conditions. These conditions include displaying an L plate and having a qualified accompanying driver. It is worth remembering that a learner permit holder who is not complying with his or her permit conditions is not covered by it. Since 2006, we have progressively introduced other graduated driver licensing measures. These include lower blood alcohol limits for learners and recently qualified drivers and compulsory lessons for learner drivers. I introduced measures earlier this year to require each novice driver to display an N plate. I set a disqualification threshold of seven penalty points for learners and novices. This was an increase on the threshold of 12 points that previously applied.

I emphasise that the ultimate purpose of graduated driver licensing is to save lives. We have seen a dramatic reduction in road deaths over the past decade. Unfortunately, this trend was reversed last year. Current indications are that the death toll for this year will be at least similar to last year's toll. Graduated driver licensing aims to improve the quality of driving of our young drivers and, in time, of all drivers. We know that there is a particularly high risk of collisions, deaths and injuries among learner drivers, particularly the high-risk category comprising those between the ages of 17 and 24. Graduated driver licensing systems generally place a range of restrictions on learner drivers. These restrictions usually apply for a period of two years after passing a driving test. Learner drivers are vulnerable road users. They face greater risks and challenges due to their inexperience. Evidence suggests that the best way to reduce risk is to introduce measures that are designed to protect them until they have built up enough experience.

The regulations to give effect to the learner permit system were made in October 2007. These regulations provided for the replacement of the provisional licence with a learner permit, required each learner permit holder to be accompanied by a driver who holds a full driving licence for at least two years, removed the entitlement of first-time learner permit holders to undertake the driving test for six months after gaining their learner permits and obliged learner motorcyclists to display the letter L on a yellow fluorescent tabard. The changes which came into place on 8 December last do not create a new offence. Since the learner permit was created, it has always been an offence to drive without an L plate and without an accompanying driver. What has changed is that people committing these offences will now receive penalty points. The purpose of these regulations is to improve road safety, to save lives and to reduce the number of collisions, deaths and injuries among inexperienced drivers. I appreciate that the restrictions on learners may create difficulties for some people. However, our overriding consideration must always be the safety of learners and other road users.