Vol. 550 No. 1
171 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress of the task group set up by the National Council and Assessment to Autumn 2000 to examine the whole area of driver education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7316/02]
The task group to which the Deputy refers was established, at my request, by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in Autumn 2000. It reported to me in March 2001.
Following receipt of the report, I authorised the NCCA to proceed with the first phase of the task group's proposal, ie, a research phase designed to provide a critical analysis of current driver provision at senior cycle. This will include, inter alia, carrying out an inventory of the work already being done in the area of driver education in various schools throughout the country. The NCCA has asked Trinity College Dublin to carry out the research project and a preliminary survey has been posted to all post-primary schools. It is expected that the results of the research phase will be presented to the task group in May 2002 and made available to all the bodies involved as soon as possible.
Another recent development in driver education at school level is the issue to all second-level schools in September 2001, of a pack called Staying Alive. This is a road safety resource, produced under the aegis of the National Safety Council. It was produced primarily for transition year students, but can be used at any stage of senior cycle.
