Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has given a firm commitment that the waiting list for driving tests will be eliminated by next June when the deferred restriction on learner drivers comes into force.
In a climbdown from the Government's position of last week, Mr Dempsey announced yesterday that holders of a second provisional licence will be allowed to continue driving unaccompanied until June 30th.
A plan to ban such licence holders from driving, unless in the company of a fully-qualified driver, had been due to take effect from midnight tonight.
The Minister's decision to put off the plan for eight months has been welcomed by Fianna Fáil's coalition partners, the Opposition parties and groups who had voiced concern at the very short timeframe for its implementation.
However, the Opposition parties accused Mr Dempsey of a humiliating U-turn and claimed the whole episode demonstrated he was not up to the job.
Mr Dempsey told The Irish Timeslast night that he had taken the decision to defer the implementation of the system because it could have led to resentment against the whole new road-safety regime, given the controversy of recent days.
He emphasised that he was totally committed to eliminating the queue for driving tests by June, saying that the resources would be provided to significantly increase the number of driving tests.
Explaining why he had decided to defer the original plan, Mr Dempsey said it was in response to two clear messages from the public.
"Firstly, there is strong support for the proposed reforms to improve road safety. Secondly, there is a strong desire for a reasonable lead-in time to enable people to prepare for and take their test or to make alternative arrangements.
"I now encourage all provisional licence holders, who have not already done so to prepare and apply for a driving test. The Government has already committed itself to providing the necessary finance to the Road Safety Authority to ensure that all 122,000 applicants currently on the waiting list will have been tested by early March 2008.
"This will have eliminated the current backlog as promised. By the end of June 2008 all applicants for a driving test will be able to get a test on demand, within 10+ weeks".
Green Party transport spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe welcomed the Minister's announcement, saying it showed a very sensible approach to the issue.
"I am fully supportive of the new road-safety strategy. The longer lead-in time for these regulations will enable provisional drivers who use their cars to commute to work to make alternative arrangements. Coupled with the improving reduction in test waiting times, this will hopefully ensure a smoother transition to the permit scheme."
However, Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O'Dowd, while welcoming the decision, said the episode raised questions about the Minister's competence.
"This embarrassing U-turn, while ultimately welcome, is just the latest episode in this shambolic affair, coming hot on the heels of the Shannon debacle. It is now time for Minister Dempsey to consider his position.
"In addition, the Taoiseach should also be considering whether Minister Dempsey is competent to retain his position."
Labour transport spokesperson Tommy Broughan said while the Minister's announcement would be greeted with great relief by tens of thousands of young drivers, the deferral could not disguise the fact that it had been a humiliating U-turn for Mr Dempsey.
"Principal responsibility for this fiasco must rest with Minister Dempsey, who has damaged the new Road Safety Strategy, put the gardaí in an impossible position and caused needless distress to young drivers and their families. In any other country, the politician who oversaw such a debacle would be out of office by now," he said.
The postponement of the scheme was also welcomed last night by a spokesman for the Irish Farmers' Association.
