Transport Minister Seán Canney is considering making motorway driving part of the driving test. 

Currently, only people who hold a full driving licence are allowed to drive on the motorway. 

This means all learner drivers are precluded from driving on the motorway - even if they are accompanied by a fully licenced driver who is supervising them. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, Minister Seán Canney noted that more motorways have been built in Ireland in recent years. 

“I think it is important that there is training for learner drivers in how to cope with being on a dual carriageway or a motorway, as opposed to being on a single carriageway road,” he said. 

“It'll be just part of the process and - like every other test we do in this country - I think it's important that we continue to review them to make sure that they're up to date and meet the modern challenges that are there on our roads as well. 

“So, I think it's only a reasonable thing to look at.”

However, he noted that for some residents of rural counties, they live nowhere near a motorway at all. 

“The problem we have is that if you're testing somebody, there are places where you don't have a motorway,” he said. 

“So, it's very hard to test people on the motorway, but at least as part of the training, that they would have some experience, be it the actual experience on the motorway, or be it in a simulation. 

“It is important that people get a feel for all of that.” 

With that in mind, the Galway East TD said such a review would examine how “we could get over those challenges”. 

“I'm not going to say we will do this, that and the other, because I think there are experts in the field within the RSA and also within the driving instructors associations that the approved driving instructors will have plenty of what I call experience and knowledge,” he said. 

“And I think that's where they should look at this and see how best we can improve it with the RSA.”