Vol. 401 No. 4
8 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for the Environment the reason he has not responded to correspondence from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 14, requesting a meeting to discuss the whole question of driving lessons, testers and instructors; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
In April last, I received a letter from the Secretary of the Approved Driver Instructor Register (AIDR) requesting me to receive a deputation to discuss driver training and various road safety issues. A few days later, I received representations on behalf of persons who were endeavouring to have an Approved Driver Instructor Register compiled.
On 14 May, I replied to the representations to the effect that officials of my Department had recently met a delegation from the Motor Schools Association of Ireland for a discussion relating to an approved register. In the course of this discussion, the delegation from the association submitted a framework for a scheme of this nature. In the circumstances, I considered that a further meeting did not seem to be warranted at that stage.
Since then, the secretary of the AIDR has requested me to reconsider his request. Because of pressure of parliamentary and other ministerial business, I regret that I am unable to meet representatives of AIDR at this stage. I have, however, requested officials of the Department to make arrangements to meet these representatives.
Is the Minister saying that he has responded to the person so named in Dublin 14 and that a formal letter has been sent to the person?
I did not say that.
I thought so.
We propose contacting him as soon as this question has been disposed of.
Does the Minister not think, that, as a matter of courtesy, he should acknowledge the letter and reply to it in a constructive manner?
I intend to do more than that. I would have done so before now but since it coincided with this question I said to my staff not to do so until I had responded to the Deputy, otherwise it might have been interpreted that I was trying to jump the gun on him.
When can this person and the interests he represents expect to get a definitive reply from the Minister?
We propose contacting the gentleman in question the day after this parliamentary question has been answered.
Thank you.
This would have been done before now but it might have been seen as a smart trick on the Deputy.
I would not have accepted that.
