Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2004
94 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport the number of provisional driving licence holders driving on roads here at the latest date for which figures are available; the efforts he is making to reduce the number of provisional driving licence holders who are driving on the roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32352/04]
View answerThe Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which holds and administers the national driver file on which driving licence records are held, has advised that there were 380,991 provisional licences current at 30 September 2004.
The Government's strategy for road safety 2004 to 2006 identified speed, seat belt wearing, driving while intoxicated, engineering measures and vulnerable road users as being the key priority areas to be addressed over the coming years in terms of yielding road safety benefits. As regards legal changes to enhance road safety, the strategy states that driver licensing regulations will be amended to discourage long-term reliance on provisional licences. I will consider what amendments should be made in this regard.
