Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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547. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 765 of 27 May 2020, the way in which he plans to address the situation of a front-line health worker unable to reach their place of work by public transport, unable to have a qualified driver with them to accompany them to work and back each day and unable to sit a driver test due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9790/20]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I outlined in my answer, to which the Deputy refers, why it is not safe to allow unqualified drivers to drive unaccompanied. Public safety in all its aspects, including on our roads, has to be the highest priority of any responsible Minister.

I appreciate that this creates difficulties for many people at this time, including some health workers. However, I am not prepared to risk the safety of the learner drivers themselves, or of other road users. To do so would be an irresponsible response to a temporary inconvenience, and I am disappointed that the Deputy would imply that laws intended to keep people on our roads safe might be worked around at the present time.

I would add that the health service is focused on addressing the viral outbreak and increasingly the needs of those whose care was interrupted by the emergency response to COVID19, and it would be doubly irresponsible to burden it with the added pressure of further road casualties.

Individuals facing difficulties in this respect should bring them to the attention of local health service management in the first instance, given their responsibilities in relation staffing and also health and safety. I am confident that they will be able to advise on appropriate safe alternatives. The Deputy will be aware that temporary accommodation can also be made available to healthcare workers where necessary and I understand that, where transport is required, local arrangements may be made and managed at Area Crisis Management Team (ACMT) level. I refer the Deputy to .

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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548. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the efforts being made to facilitate the return to work of driving instructors; the timeframe for same; and if he will work with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure the return to work for the sector is at the same time across the island of Ireland in order to not disenfranchise driving instructors based in Border counties. [9791/20]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Driving lessons are provided privately and are not a State service. As a private company, a driving school must ensure that they can comply with the necessary public health requirements before they can reopen their businesses. The National Return to Work Safely Protocol was developed by NPHET in consultation with national experts.

Driver instruction is likely to resume in line with driver testing, however, and I expect a driving school to encounter the same difficulties as the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in terms of complying with the requirements of this Protocol. The resumption of both driver testing and driver instruction raise particular problems in terms of compliance with the Protocol and in particular social distancing rules, as both scenarios require the learner and either the tester or instructor to be within a two metre distance continuously for a period in excess of 20 minutes. To put this in perspective, on a very preliminary appraisal of the Protocol, car driving tests may have to be the last of the statutory functions, for which the RSA is responsible, to recommence in or after Phase 5 of the Government's roadmap.

I understand that any company which reopens is subject to inspection by Health and Safety Authority, and may face serious sanctions, including closure, if found to be not in compliance with Covid-19 requirements.

The Deputy will be aware that driving tests in Northern Ireland operates under UK law. As such, it differs from that in this jurisdiction, and as a consequence so does driving instruction. Approved Driving Instructors are only registered by the Road Safety Authority in respect of Ireland. To that extent, driving instructors would not normally work in both jurisdictions.

The Deputy will also be aware that the Northern Ireland Executive published last month its own Approach to Decision-Making with its own five steps, which may apply at different times across different sectors. I understand that it states that decisions on the future approach to the restrictions are for the Executive to take based on the best analysis of the situation there and internationally. It is anticipated that the approach to be taken as the restrictions are relaxed will continue to be based on common principles across these islands, although there may be times when there are nuanced differences of approach as a result of the circumstances in differing jurisdictions or of the timing of decision-making.

The safety of the public is of paramount importance at this time, whether from infection or from deaths and injuries on the road, and in this as in all aspects of the Covid-19 crisis, my Department will be guided by NPHET and national experts.