Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2004
205 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science the discussions he had with the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the provision of safety courses on motorcycles at second level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5270/04]
View answerThe introduction of a road safety and driver education syllabus in schools was examined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. This was done on foot of a report from a task group that included representatives of my Department, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the National Safety Council, the Garda Síochána, the Irish Insurance Federation, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, Rosary College Crumlin, the CCEA Northern Ireland and the NCCA. Dr. Ray Fuller, Trinity College, Dublin was commissioned by the NCCA to carry out a further report on the topic.
The NCCA recommended that road safety be addressed in the context of social, personal and health education. It also recommended that driver education, specifically learning to drive for pupils aged 17 years, should not become part of the school curriculum. The NCCA noted that its recommendations concurred with the practice in other jurisdictions.
At the start of the school year 2001-02 the National Safety Council, with assistance from my Department, issued copies of Staying Alive, a road safety resource for transition year and the senior cycle, to all second level schools. Thepack provided a wide range of learning opportunities and activities on topics such as personal responsibility and decision-making, environmental issues and risks and rules for road users. A CD-ROM, with additional material downloaded from the Internet, was included in the pack along with copies of rules of the road.
During the preparation of the Staying Alive resource material views were sought from a range of organisations with interests in the promotion of road safety. Prior to its issue the material was piloted in 20 schools across Ireland and the response from teachers was very positive.
