Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will report on the recent granting of a second extension of the exemption for driving instructors who are not fully qualified as approved driving instructors; the reason the two exemptions were granted; when it will end; the number of driving instructors operating who are fully qualified ADI instructors, have been granted an exemption and are operating illegally as driving instructors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22393/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) this is a matter for the Road Safety Authority (RSA). An exemption for all unapproved driving instructors was granted at the end of December 2008 up to 30 April 2009. At that time there were just over 500 driving instructors through all three Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) stages, the RSA considered this was an insufficient number of qualified driving instructors to cater for the demand from learner drivers. The RSA state the reason for the granting the second exemption, from 30th April 2009, was to allow those driving instructors who had passed Stage 1 (The Theory Test) continue to operate as a driving instructor for a period up to 31 July 2009.

The RSA inform me that at present there are 1292 approved ADIs, 848 were granted an exemption up to 31 July 2009. Neither my Department nor the RSA have figures in relation to driving instructors who are operating illegally.