Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of qualified driving instructors who are employed at second level to prepare students for their driver theory test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28058/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not fund the employment of driving instructors in schools, and there are no plans to provide driving lessons as part of the road safety programmes being implemented in schools. A Road Safety programme for use in Transition Year has been developed by the Road safety Authority in collaboration with my Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and the Second Level Support Service. It is currently being piloted in schools. The programme provides a structured approach towards the development of responsible attitudes towards road safety and driver education and builds on the knowledge gained from current Social Personal and Health Education programmes (SPHE). Covering areas such as seatbelt use, hazard perception and driver attitudes towards alcohol and drug use the Transition Year Road Safety Programme will also prepare students for the Driver Theory Test.

The Transition Year Road Safety Programme will be delivered by teachers in the classroom. Theory test preparation will take place in the form of review questions relevant to the lesson at the end of each class which will be supported by a DVD resource based on commercially available preparation material. The Road Safety Authority has also obtained input from the Gardaí, NCT centres and Bus Eireann in the delivery of this programme.