Barry Ward (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The issue I raise relates to driver licensing. Until 2006, it was standard in this country that the B category licence people hold, that is, an ordinary car licence, also included other categories, namely, the W category for work vehicles and the AM category for mopeds. On the back of the driving licence the categories people are qualified to drive in are listed, and AM and W were automatically added when people passed a driving test and received their licence to drive a car.

That stopped from 2006 onwards. There was no fanfare or publicity about it. The change meant that people who did their car test still received a W licence, but no longer received an AM licence for mopeds. These categories are important because they allow people living on family farms to drive tractors and so on without having to do a separate test. It means that young people, in particular, especially those in urban areas, cannot now use mopeds.

Mopeds are a very effective means of transport, in particular in urban areas and for people in younger age categories who may not have the means to go through the process of getting a licence to drive or to buy a motorbike. The cost involved is not insubstantial. People who want to drive a moped, or any kind of motorbike, which is the A category, must go through the process of having 18 hours of lessons, doing a theory test, passing a driving test and getting a licence. The costs involved for lessons alone, even at €50 an hour, are nearly €1,000. On top of that, it costs €85 to do a test, €35 for a learner permit, €55 for a licence and €45 for a theory test. That imposes additional costs of over €1,200 on people, which they would not have to pay if the AM category was automatically included on their licences to allow them to drive mopeds.

At a time when we are saying we want to take cars off the road and reduce emissions, mopeds are a very effective tool for people to do exactly that. They are much more fuel efficient than cars and create far fewer emissions. They also take cars off the road. They are an opportunity for younger people from the age of 17 upwards to avail of a private transport model that does not involve the expense, pollution and traffic congestion caused by cars.

The only reason I have ever been given for the change is that there may be a road safety element, in that people need special training to drive a motorbike. I do not dispute that. However, the reality is that anybody who has passed a driving test for a B licence, that is, the ordinary licence we all think of as a driving licence, has already done a theory test, undergone 12 hours of driver training and taken the test. That person has a level of expertise in terms of road safety, understanding other road users and the importance of behaving in a responsible manner on the road.

I do not think there were a large number of accidents involving those who hold B licences driving mopeds without the road safety expertise required to drive a motorbike. While I accept that there might be a case in terms of road safety, I do not think the decision has been properly thought out. Nobody has ever shown me evidence to suggest that people with full driver licences are not capable of driving a moped. I do not necessarily accept that is the case. There is no evidence that I am aware of to suggest there has been a certain number of accidents in this regard.

The major problem is that this change specifically targeted particular groups in society, namely, younger people, people without means and people who cannot afford to run a car. It was a retrograde step but, perhaps most important, it is out of step with our European neighbours. Most countries in Europe provide an AM licence with other licences automatically. We do not, and I do not know why that is the case. I hope the Minister of State will consider changing that.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising awareness of this issue. I was not aware of the change made in 2006. It was not up in flashing lights, but it has certainly had an impact. It has affected people, mainly of the younger generation, as the Senator said. It is worth examining the matter and the Senator has made a very compelling case for doing so.

I will provide some background on this matter. Prior to October 2016, as the Senator said, full category B licence holders, on passing a driving test, were permitted to drive category M moped vehicles. This practice ceased for new category B licence holders with the implementation of the third EU driving licence directive. As it stands officially, the Minister has no plans to change this policy, but the Senator has made a strong case for doing so, which I will feed back to the Minister and Department of Transport. It is an issue that can and should be considered.

The provisions of the third driving licence directive state that licences granted for any category shall be valid for vehicles in category AM. However, for driving licences issued on its territory, a member state may limit equivalences for category AM to categories A1, A2 and A, if that member state imposes a practical test as a condition for obtaining category AM. Prior to the directive, the category AM for mopeds, that is, a motorcycle with an engine of less than 50 cm³ capacity, was not recognised across the EU and may not have been issued as a category of licence in many countries. In Ireland, category AM could always be obtained by obtaining passing a driving test in the category B up to October 2006.

Before October 2006, the driver theory test was confined to cars and motorcycles. Since then, it has been split into two examinations covering motorcycles and cars separately. Initial basic training, IBT, was introduced for motorcyclists from 6 December 2010 for first-time learner permit holders. This is part of the national policy following the recommendations made and accepted by the Department of Transport and the then Minister prior to its introduction.

IBT recognises the vulnerability of motorcyclists as road users who need additional training to keep them safe on our roads. A driver must complete a programme of IBT with an improved IBT instructor before taking a motorcycle out on a road. The IBT programme is a minimum of 16 hours' duration and a certificate of satisfactory completion is issued to each learner after completing the training. There are situations where a learner can do what is known as a conversion module, which is a modified version of the IBT programme. This is available for people who have completed the IBT on a smaller motorcycle and then take out a separate permit for a larger motorcycle.

While motorcycles in the heavier category are clearly more powerful and capable of much higher speeds than category AM motorcycles, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, considers the risk associated with riding any type of motorcycle to be similar and the deaths and serious injuries to be disproportionate to those related to category B. The IBT modules that relate to motorcycles encompass all aspects relevant to higher powered machines and category AM. There is no doubt that the learnings from the IBT course are relevant and beneficial to riders of category AM motorcycles and contribute effectively to the goal of having a fuller learning experience and greater understanding of the risks and dangers associated with this vulnerable road group.

Although those who have category B licences have road experience which, undoubtedly, is of significant benefit to the driving of a category AM motorcycle, such drivers will not have had the learning specific to riding a two-wheel vehicle. The Minister for Transport is confident that the position that exists now is the correct one and that a person must be tested specifically on the moped before being granted a full licence.

The Senator, in raising this issue, accepts there needs to be some extra training, but there are difficulties in terms of costs and requirements. It is something that could be pursued in conjunction with the RSA and the Department of Transport. I will bring back to the Minister the points the Senator has raised, which are valid and feed into this argument. It may be a matter that can be looked at again.

Barry Ward (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State and appreciate his remarks. I am sorry the Minister does not have plans to change this rule. I hope we will be able to convince him otherwise. There are still inconsistencies. I acknowledge the road safety imperative involved and that being on two or three wheels is different from being cocooned in a car, and we can see that in the way the respective drivers behave.

However, the W category for work vehicles and tractors is still included in category B licences. We know there are frequent accidents on farms involving these vehicles, yet people who passed their driving test in a car do not have to do any extra or separate training to reinforce safety protocols for work vehicles. We have excluded the category of moped.

The Minister of State is correct that the position is not consistent across the European Union. In Denmark, for example, there is an LK category for smaller mopeds. We could have something like that, or we could include something in the driving or theory test or require some other theory test to be done. We have an unnecessary penalisation of certain categories, in particular young people.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I again thank Senator Ward for raising this issue. I will certainly talk to the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, who is sorry she could not be here today, and to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about it. I might not be in a position to convince her but I have no doubt that, with the arguments he has just put to me, the Senator will be able to if he gets a chance. I will encourage her to take some time to listen to this debate and perhaps to meet the Senator to tease the issue out. It is certainly worth looking at.

The Senator flagged an issue in the area of agriculture. We are making changes with regard to aspects of farm safety, particularly in respect of off-road vehicles on farms. There are concerns in that area. We are working with the farm partnerships, through the Health and Safety Authority, to make changes and bring in extra training, mainly in the area of quad bikes. There will be lead-in time for this over the next year or two. This is an area in which we can prevent unnecessary loss of life. We need an ongoing conversation about safety. From the Senator's contribution, I know he totally buys into the safety aspect. It is a matter of how to achieve it. I will urge the Minister of State to engage with him on this matter.