Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Teach. I welcome him back to his old stomping ground and thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to be here. I wish to raise a very important issue with him. A striking feature of our towns, villages, sporting grounds and other facilities all over the country in the past few years has been the growth in the provision of automated external defibrillators, AEDs, by local communities. Communities understand the value and importance of the availability of defibrillators and indeed of learning first aid. I commend all those volunteers who give up their time freely to provide this service. They truly are lifesavers.

I recently attended a presentation by the Irish Heart Foundation where such issues were underlined. The foundation is advocating first aid and CPR questions be added to the driver theory test. This measure is being introduced in the UK early next year with the aim of increasing cardiac arrest survival rates by ensuring many people know how to respond in an emergency situation. First aid and CPR questions are being added to the UK driver theory test with a focus on basic lifesaving skills like using a defibrillator and performing chest compressions as motorists are the first responders to cardiac arrests. The aim is to boost survival rates. Road traffic accidents can cause cardiac arrests due to trauma and shock and they can also be caused by drivers experiencing cardiac arrest. Drivers may encounter people who have collapsed along the roadside, or on streets, or out walking or jogging or at bus stops, service stations or carparks. It makes sense that generating greater knowledge of CPR and its use and a greater confidence in knowing what to do in an emergency situation could save a life.

Cardiac arrest survival has increased since recordings began in 2012, during which time awareness and the number of people receiving CPR training have grown significantly, which is very welcome. In 2024 emergency services attended 2,885 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Ireland where resuscitation was attempted, with 230 lives being saved as a result. That is absolutely marvellous. The time it takes to provide defibrillation is the most critical factor for survival following a cardiac arrest and the importance of quick actions by bystanders before ambulance crews arrive cannot be underestimated. There is an 80% chance of survival if a defibrillator is activated within two minutes. The survival rate reduces by approximately 10% for every minute that passes before CPR and defibrillation. When bystanders have the confidence to know what to do in such emergencies lives can really be saved. As the Minister of State will be aware learners prepare for their driving test by studying official RSA material on hazards, signs, vehicle safety and other matters. However, with first aid and CPR training learner drivers can become potential lifesavers. This initiative makes perfect sense and I hope the Minister of State and the Department will take this on board because it could make the difference between somebody’s life being saved and not.

I thank the Senator for raising the matter, which is a very important one. I join him in commending the volunteers in our communities. He is right the growth of defibrillator provision has been of extraordinary value to our communities. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien.

As the Senator knows, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, has statutory responsibility for the national driver testing service under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006. The driver theory test is a requirement under EU law. Annex Il of the driver licensing directive sets out in detail the requirements for the driver theory test. These requirements have been transposed into Irish law in full accordance with the EU directive. As the Senator will be aware, for those seeking a category B licence, the current theory test constitutes a series of 40 questions designed to check a candidate's knowledge of topics, including the rules of the road, risk perception, ecodriving, hazard awareness and safe driving behaviour. There is currently no requirement under the EU directive or in Irish law for a candidate for a B licence during a diver theory test to demonstrate they have a knowledge of CPR. However, it should be noted that truck and bus driver are required to have basic first aid knowledge.

The Senator makes good points and there is merit in what he is suggesting and proposing. I am speaking in a personal capacity here.

Under the new driving licence directive at EU level, driving test candidates, including those seeking a B licence, will be required, among other things, to have knowledge of the measures which the driver can take to assist road accident victims where necessary. This will include a basic knowledge of first aid, in particular CPR. This is set out under Annex Il, 2e(ii) of the new directive. This directive was published in November 2025 and it is planned for it to be transposed into Irish law, by way of new regulations, over the next two years. This transposition will ensure that the requirement in relation to assisting road accident victims where necessary will be transposed into Irish national law in the most appropriate way. Moreover, once these requirements for the practical driving test are transposed, there will be a need to ensure consistency with the theory test and this may present an opportune moment to consider advocating what the Senator is suggesting and adding CPR to that test.

In addition to these regulatory and legislative matters, the Senator may wish to note the work that is currently under way under the Government's road safety strategy. In July of this year, phase 2 of the action plan was published. This sets out 12 primary actions which have the potential to deliver transformative changes in relation to road safety. A key action under this action plan is action 7A which states that we will enhance the learning to drive programme based on evidence from international best practice, in tandem with improvements in the driving test. This action is being led by the RSA and I understand work is advancing. The RSA is working in partnership with international third level institutions to identify best international practice with a view to making recommendations in relation to improving how driver testing is conducted in Ireland. I understand as part of this work that the issue of CPR and how it could be implemented is being considered.

There are significant merits in the Senator's proposal that all drivers should have a basic knowledge of CPR. We must recognise that there may be times when dealing with a victim of a road traffic accident where it may not be appropriate to perform CPR. That comes back to the point the Senator made about the knowledge we all need to have. For example, where an airbag has been deployed or where a seatbelt has caused damage to a victim's ribs, it may be dangerous to perform CPR. In that case, it is part of the whole movement around further knowledge that we all need to have. In that regard there would also be a requirement on the driver to be able to assess the injuries to a victim and to know when it is safe to perform CPR. It goes back to the fundamental point about the added value that we saw with defibrillators. There is merit in what the Senator is proposing because we have all come across road accidents. We have all been in that situation where people rush to help. People want to do what is best, but it is about that training and skill acquisition. There is significant merit in what the Senator proposes.

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I commend the Irish Heart Foundation on the work it does. This is a proposal that has come from it. As the Minister of State outlined in his contribution, it would seem to make perfect sense. I welcome the fact that we are looking at this within the next year or so with a view to bringing it into the driver theory test in this country. That is a sensible and welcome development. As the Minister of State outlined, it is about having the knowledge in your pocket so that if, God forbid, you come across an event, you would be able to act, size up the situation and make the correct call. Having that knowledge in your back pocket is something that is worthwhile. I would welcome this development coming into effect as soon as we possibly can. What we are talking about here is the potential ability to be able to save someone's life. That is greater than any of us can comprehend.

I again thank Senator Gallagher for raising the matter. As I explained in my reply to him, there is a movement by the Government and the RSA in terms of the transposition of the directive published in November. As he knows, it will take two years to be transposed. That gives us an opportunity to consult widely. This morning has been a useful exercise. I hope the Irish Heart Foundation can be involved in that. As you look at the road safety strategy, it is about committing to renewing and enhancing the learning to drive curriculum but also that piece of knowledge.

I think we all share Senator Gallagher's desire to ensure that the drivers on our road are as well trained as possible and that all safety matters are considered. As the Senator said, God forbid that any of us may be in that position. How do we handle that? It is about giving us that capacity. I make the point again that it is about safety on our roads and us as first responders acting in a safe manner. We have seen and we are seeing work being done. We will take the views that the Senator brought back to the RSA. It is about ensuring we make fully informed choices to assist all of us as road users in the best way forward. I thank the Senator for raising the matter this morning.