289. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the options available to an individual who wishes to have their TY Online Driver Education Programme considered for the school curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48562/26]

Transition Year is a valuable programme for students that offers opportunities to develop future life skills for personal, social, and academic development, and to experience other aspects of adult and working life.

Each school designs its own Transition Year programme, within the guidelines of the Transition Year Programme Statement, to suit the needs and interests of its students. In establishing its own distinctive programme content, schools are advised to take into consideration students’ needs alongside the views of parents, employers, and the wider interests of the local community.

It is the current policy of the Department not to endorse publications, products, or services from individual, commercial, or other providers.

The Department does not recommend any specific services to schools and allows schools and teachers to determine the most appropriate programmes for their students. Choices regarding educational materials, textbooks and other educational products/initiatives are made by individual schools and their boards of management, not by the Department.

The Deputy may wish to advise the individual to explore offering the proposed programme as a TY micro-module that would be available to schools should they wish to incorporate them into their programme design. A TY micro-module is typically designed to provide a concentrated learning experience, within the parameters of the TY Programme Statement, to enhance the educational experience of students. They can be designed and delivered as standalone components or designed to be integrated with other TY components.

TY micro-modules can be developed for a duration of up to 10, 20, or 30 hours, whilst having the flexibility for schools to decide on the most suitable balance of class contact time and self-directed, independent learning. Schools can offer micro modules that are designed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) or external providers.

In addition, the Deputy may wish to note that the Road Safety Authority (the RSA) provides a Transition Year road safety module for use by schools. This Module was developed by the RSA in partnership with my Department and has been available to schools since September 2024.