Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 27 Mar 1996

Vol. 463 No. 4

Written Answers. - Restricted Driving Licences.

Seamus Brennan

Ceist:

107 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, there are to introduce R restricted driving licences similar to the system operating in Northern Ireland; whether this system has been examined by his Department; if he has satisfied himself with the current position whereby holders of provisional licences are not required to have a full licence holder travelling with them as used to be the case; the reason the original restriction banning provisional licence holders from driving on their own was changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6653/96]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

I have no proposal to introduce restrictions on newly qualified licence holders such as apply in Northern Ireland. Such a system does not apply in the rest of the UK or in most other EU states, and there is no evidence to suggest that it would be a useful road safety measure.

The requirement that provisional licence holders must be accompanied by a qualified driver at all times was introduced in 1964. In 1979, a concession was introduced permitting holders of provisional licences to drive unaccompanied provided L plates were displayed. In 1985, the display of plates was made mandatory and the accompanied rule was reintroduced for all provisional licence holders, except the holders of second provisional licences for class C vehicles — cars and light vans; the reasoning at the time was that driving unaccompanied, after the initial period, would build confidence prior to undergoing the driving test.