Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2004
320 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of the driving instructor register of Ireland; the progress to date that has been made on the co-funded register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28642/04]
View answer324 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if it is envisaged that the status of registered driving instructors included in the driving instructor register of Ireland, which has been in operation since 1996, will continue to be recognised by the driver testing and standards authority as it was previously by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government; the position regarding persons of RDI status within the proposed Driver Testing and Standards Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28691/04]
View answer341 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Transport the status of registered driving instructors under the new provisions of the Driving Testing and Standards Authority; if the instructors will have to sit an additional test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29432/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 320, 324 and 341 together.
I refer the Deputies to my reply to Question No. 154 on Thursday, 14 October 2004.
Proposals being developed by my Department for the regulation and quality assurance of driving instruction will involve a test of the competence of individual instructors. A working group comprising representatives of my Department and of instruction interests has formulated the design of the standards that a driving instructor must meet. I am considering what arrangements will be put in place to oversee implementation of the standard in the context of the establishment of the Driver Testing and Standards Authority. The Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004, which provides for the establishment of the authority, was published on 6 July 2004 and the Second Stage debate commenced on 14 October 2004.
Regulations will be required to give effect to the proposals for introducing regulation of driving instruction and the position of existing driving instructors will be considered in the context of drafting the regulations.
