Written answers

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Road Safety

Photo of Brian WalshBrian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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772. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider availing of an option provided to member states under Directive 36 of 2012, whereby drivers who have passed a test for vehicles of categories C, CE, D, and DE with an automatic transmission to drive vehicles with a manual transmission, provided they also have a licence to drive vehicles of categories B, BE, C, CE, C1, C1E, D, D1 or D1E; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25846/14]

Photo of Brian WalshBrian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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773. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied that forthcoming regulations requiring lorries used for the purpose of the driving test to have eight forward gears are prudent and necessary, despite the burden of cost that will be imposed on driving instructors in having to upgrade their fleet of vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25847/14]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 772 and 773 together. 

EU Directive 36 of 2012 allows Member States the option of allowing drivers who have passed a test for vehicles of categories C, CE, D and DE with an automatic transmission to also drive vehicles of those categories with a manual transmission, providing that they have a licence to drive vehicles of categories B, BE, C, CE, C1, C1E, D, D1 or D1E and that when tested they underwent tests in safe and energy-efficient driving

Ireland has not availed of this option, and I have no plans to introduce it.  Irish regulations provide that, from 30 June 2014, vehicles of categories C and CE must have a transmission of at least eight forward ratios. This is in line with EU requirements set out in 2006, but more stringent than the amended standards set out in Directive 36 of 2012.  However, under the Directive 36 of 2012, it is open to Member States to adopt, as a minimum, the standards set out in the amended Directive, or to apply more stringent requirements. On the basis of advice received, I have chosen to adopt a more stringent position by continuing to apply the minimum eight-ratio requirement.

The principal reasons why I have chosen this approach are road safety related:

- It cannot be safely assumed that a person who passed their driving test some years ago in a four forward gear economy vehicle could be expected to be proficient at controlling a multi-geared heavy goods or high capacity passenger carrying vehicle.

- The risk to the safety of road users from drivers of HGVs or buses whose competence has not been tested in the vehicles they are driving is potentially catastrophic. 

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