Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 341: To ask the Minister for Transport the plans his Department has to address the concerns expressed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27444/04]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 342: To ask the Minister for Transport if the proposals from the DIR (details supplied) will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27442/04]

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the campaign to clarify the position of driving instructors with RDI status, that is, registered on the driving instructor register of Ireland in the context of the Driver Testing and Standards Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26902/04]

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will confirm the validity or status of driving instructors on the driving instructor register of Ireland within the Driver Testing and Standards Authority or within any entity outsourced by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26920/04]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for Transport the position as to the validity of the registered driving instructor status within the Driver Testing and Standards Authority; if he has an intention if any to pass this decision over to the board of the driver testing and standards authority in view of the effect this would have on driving instructors who are registered with the driver instructor register of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27118/04]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 341, 342, 350, 351 and 359 together.

I refer the Deputies to my reply to Question No. 154 on Thursday, 14 October, 2004.

Proposals being developed by my Department for the regulation and quality assurance of driving instruction will involve a test of the competence of individual instructors. A working group comprising representatives of my Department and of instruction interests has formulated the design of the standards that a driving instructor must meet. I am considering what arrangements will be put in place to oversee implementation of the standard in the context of the establishment of the Driver Testing and Standards Authority. The Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004, which provides for the establishment of the Authority was published on 6 July 2004 and the Second Stage debate commenced on 14 October 2004.

Regulations will be required to give effect to the proposals for introducing regulation of driving instruction and the position of existing driving instructors will be considered in the context of drafting of the regulations.