Three years after the announcement of a Road Safety Strategy by the Government, it is finally moving to reform the system of driver testing that has been operated by the Department of the Environment - with appalling results - for more than 50 years. The testing service is to be removed from the control of the Department and a public-sector agency will be established to administer the service. A decision in principle to that effect was announced last week by Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Molloy. But the official statement lacked specific detail and the new agency may not begin operations for some years.
Mr Molloy undertook to adopt a partnership approach in implementing the decision and this will involve negotiations with the trade unions representing the existing driver-testing staff and various officials. Before that happens, however, the Department will employ consultants to advise on future changes in the management process. After that report is received and digested, relevant legislation will have to be drafted and passed by the Oireachtas. It is not known at this stage whether the opportunity will be taken in the proposed Bill to set basic standards for those individuals and companies offering driving lessons to members of the public. It is understood the unregulated nature of that business is at present under review by the Department.
Hiving off responsibility for driver testing from the Department to a public-sector agency will not, in itself, provide a panacea for what has been wrong with the system. And the Minister appears to be as much concerned with providing "value for money" as with improving customer service. If this approach leads to a reduction in funding, then the Minister is heading for trouble because the trade union IMPACT has argued that many of the current problems spring from years of gross under-funding, lack of training and poor pay for its members.
In spite of such concerns, some progress has been made in implementing the Road Safety Strategy. A vehicle safety-testing system is now in operation. The waiting time for driving tests has been significantly reduced through the employment of extra staff. From the end of this year, applicants for provisional licences will have to pass a theory test. And a Road Traffic Bill, giving effect to a penalty points system for motoring offences, is expected to become law during the autumn.
But, given the general lawlessness on our roads, more should have been done.