Vol. 555 No. 1
139 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Transport when the proposals for regulating driving instruction, which were due to come into effect on 1 January 2002, were brought forward; his proposals in relation to regulating driver instruction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17731/02]
Proposals now being developed by my Department for the regulation and quality assurance of driving instruction involve a test of the competence of individual instructors, or exemption from this requirement where an instructor is accredited to an organisation of driving instructors recognised by my Department as meeting appropriate quality standards.
The design of these standards is at present being formulated by a working group comprising representatives of my Department and of instruction interests. It is envisaged that as part of this process an organisation will have to seek accreditation from the National Accreditation Board that it is operating to a set standard. The legislative basis for implementing these proposals is contained in the recently enacted Road Traffic Act, 2002.
