Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 357: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on whether there should be no pillion passenger allowed in respect of provisionally licensed motorcyclists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3390/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 provide that a person provisionally licensed to drive a category A, A1 or M vehicle, that is a motorcycle or moped, may not carry a passenger. I have no proposals to change this requirement.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will consider the introduction of compulsory private tuition programmes for inexperienced drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3391/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's strategy for road safety for 2004 to 2006 identified speed, seat-belt wearing, driving while intoxicated, engineering measures and vulnerable road users as the key priority areas to be addressed over the coming years in terms of yielding road safety benefits. As regards motorcyclists, it is the intention over the course of the strategy to introduce compulsory initial practical training for motorcyclists before they are permitted to drive alone on a public road.

There are no proposals to introduce such compulsory training for other learner drivers. 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 and will ensure the availability of a high standard of instruction to learner drivers.