PRESS RELEASE

17 June 2010

ENV 12/09/10

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE FOCUSES IN ON DRIVING INSTRUCTORS

The Assembly Committee for the Environment is today (Thursday 17 June) visiting the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) to help inform its response to the Department of Environment’s draft Road Safety Strategy. In particular the Committee is keen to gather information on the licensing of driving instructors.

Committee Chairperson, Cathal Boylan MLA, said:“As part of our work reviewing the draft Road Safety Strategy we have become aware of apparent flaws in the licensing of driving instructors which are causing the Committee a degree of concern. To our knowledge, once a person has applied to become a trainee driving instructor there are no checks to ensure this person is being appropriately mentored and trained. Furthermore, we understand that someone can remain a trainee instructor indefinitely and continue to take money for providing lessons without any guarantee of standard or ability.

“We are hoping that the DVA will assure the Committee that there are processes and procedures in place to ensure that people learning to drive here are not put a risk by insufficiently trained instructors.”

In addition to receiving a briefing from the DVA the Committee will hold its regular meeting at the DVA, County Hall, Coleraine from 10.00am to 1.00pm. The Committee will be taking evidence from Road Haulage Association, the Freight Transport Association and the Coleraine Road Safety Committee on the Department’s draft Road Safety Strategy. The meeting is open to the public.
The Committee will be submitting its response to the draft Road Safety Strategy to the Department at the end of June.

Ends

Notes to Editors

The Committee for the Environment has been taking evidence from a range of organisations to inform its response to the Department’s consultation on the Strategy including the Ulster Farmers’ Union, the Rural Community Network, the Driving Instructor’s Association, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the GAA and NICCY.

Committee Membership:

Mr. Cathal Boylan (Chairperson)
Mr. Patsy McGlone (Deputy Chair)
Mr. Roy Beggs
Mr. Jonathan Bell
Mr. John Dallat
Mr. Danny Kinahan
Mr. Ian McCrea
Mr. Daithi McKay
Mr. Alastair Ross
Mr. Peter Weir
Mr. Brian Wilson

Media enquiries to:

Jennifer Pleavin
Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 9052 1606
Mobile : 07502 379339
Email: jennifer.pleavin@niassembly.gov.uk

Sinead Murphy
Deputy Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 9052 5938
Mobile : 07899 864368
Email: sinead.murphy@niassembly.gov.uk