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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Oct 1999

Vol. 508 No. 3

Written Answers - Road Safety.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Ceist:

98 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of provisional driving licences on issue; the steps, if any, he is taking to reduce the number of provisional drivers on the roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18700/99]

An estimated 371,000 provisional licences were current as at 31 December, 1998.

The Government Strategy for Road Safety 1998-2002 acknowledged the importance of driver training and testing, with the qualification that these could not be expected to yield road safety benefits on the scale of measures directly targeted at speeding, alcohol and seat belt wearing which have been prioritised by the strategy. The strategy proposed, for the longer term, a significant reduction in the number of Irish drivers relying on a provisional licence.

In order to attain this longer term goal, the short-term priority must be to restore waiting periods for driving tests to acceptable levels. I have already outlined, in the reply to Question No. 80 on today's Order Paper, the significant additional resources now being made available to support this process.
Measures have been in place for some years, and will be maintained, to restrict the indefinite holding of provisional licences. In addition, the Motor Insurance Advisory Board, is developing recommendations for improving access to motor insurance for young people. The possibility of affording greater credit for the holding of a full driver licence may arise in this context.
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