Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Transport the provisions which are in place to ensure that drivers with provisional licences are not permitted to operate public service vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16252/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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A person with a provisional licence is not permitted to carry any passenger for reward; must be accompanied by a person who holds a driving licence in respect of the vehicle category being driven and must display "L" plates front and rear.

The Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 to 2004 requires that the driver of a vehicle with passenger accommodation for more than 8 persons must hold a category D driving licence. If such a vehicle has passenger accommodation for not more than 16 persons a category D1 driving licence will suffice. There is no separate licensing requirement under public service vehicle regulations in respect of the drivers of such large public service vehicles.

In relation to small public service vehicles such as taxis and hackneys, all drivers must hold a PSV licence granted by the Garda Commissioner in addition to the normal category B driving licence for cars. Enforcement of these requirements is a matter for An Garda Síochána.

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will introduce measures to increase the level of back seat belt usage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16206/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Official statistics relating to seat belt wearing are compiled and published by the National Roads Authority (NRA). The most recent published data is contained in the 2005 Survey of Seat Belt Wearing Rates. The 2005 survey shows that the wearing rate for adults in the rear seats of cars remained unchanged at 46% from the last survey in 2003. However, in relation to school children travelling in the rear seats of cars, the 2005 survey found an increased level of wearing on the 2003 position. The 2005 surveys found that rear seat belt wearing by primary-going school children and secondary-going school children was 60% and 55% respectively, compared to rates of 48% and 44% in 2003.

On 3 April 2006 I extended the fixed charge system to cover a wide range of penalty point and non-penalty point offences. The non-wearing of a seat belt by an adult passenger (a person aged 17 years or over) in the front or rear of a motor car is one of the offences that I brought into the fixed charge system. From 3 April 2006, a person who contravenes the seatbelt requirement will be issued with a fixed charge notice giving him or her the option of making a fixed charge payment of €60 within 28 days or €90 within the following 28-day period in lieu of a court prosecution. Since August 2003, failure by a driver of a car to wear a seat belt or to permit a person under 17 years of age not to be appropriately restrained in a car has been a fixed charge offence with charges applying as indicated above and with 2 penalty points applying on payment of a fixed charge and 4 penalty points on conviction by a court.

I will shortly be making Regulations to transpose Directive 2003/20/EC concerning the compulsory use of seat belts into national law. Essentially, this Directive requires seat belts to be worn where they are fitted to seats on motor vehicles. It also provides that children under 3 years of age may not travel in a car or goods vehicle unless they are restrained by an appropriate child restraint system.

The extensive road safety public awareness programme conducted by the National Safety Council includes specific measures relating to seat belt wearing and the legal sanctions for non-compliance. In particular, the importance of rear seat passengers wearing seat belts is graphically depicted in the NSC public awareness campaign video that is frequently transmitted on television.