Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004
176 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Transport the stage of proposals to set up a register for driving instructors; his views on whether there should be driver training representation on the National Safety Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30745/04]
View answerProposals 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 the 14 October 2004.
The board of the National Safety Council includes representatives from my Department, the Garda Síochána, the National Roads Authority, the Irish Insurance Federation, local authorities, the motoring sector and the media-communications sector. There are no vacancies on the board of the National Safety Council at present. Driver training representation can be considered in the context of any future vacancies that arise in the National Safety Council.
