Vol. 483 No. 3
254 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the need to establish an Institute of Advanced Motorists in this jurisdiction, similar to the one that exists in the United Kingdom; if his Department will do everything in its power to encourage the establishment of this organisation in view of the ongoing problem of road safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20042/97]
256 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the views, if any, of his Department on the need to introduce legislation to allow for the registration of driving schools and the training and testing of driving instructors; his views on whether legislation is necessary in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20035/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 256 together.
A voluntary scheme of registration of driving instructors, the Driving Instructor Register of Ireland Limited, has been established jointly by two national associations representing motor schools and driving instructors in association with the Irish Insurance Federation and with financial assistance from my Department and the federation.
The scheme aims to raise the standard of driving instruction and, by extension, the standard of driving generally and provides for reduced car insurance premiums for drivers, including young drivers, who complete a course of instruction with a qualified instructor. It will be appropriate to monitor the progress of this scheme for a period of time before contemplating any more formal regulation of driving instruction. While this voluntary initiative is the principal one supported by my Department in the area of driving instruction, I do not exclude consideration of other proposals or their merits, if these are forthcoming.
