Fine Gael want to drive out ban on provisional driving

Plans to ban motorists from driving on a provisional licence are under are under fire.

The plans are part of a radical shake up of driving rules that have been described as totally unworkable by the opposition.

One in four Irish drivers currently hold a provisional and because of a legal loophole are allowed behind the wheel even if they have failed their test.

Fine Gael's Denis Naughton says the high failure rate is the main problem.

He insists that the reason the failure rate is so high in this country is because we do not have a driver training programme.

In addition, Deputy Naughton maintains there is now a need to reform structures for drivers and also the driving tests itself.

He wants the Minister for Transport Seams Brennan to address the situation immediately rather than implement a ban on driving on provisional licences.