A perfectly justifiable and praise-worthy ambition . . . to stop unqualified, unpractised and inexperienced drivers putting their own lives and the lives of others in danger . . . has been squandered (for how long it remains to be seen) by the hamfisted and careless way it was introduced.

Any competent government wanting to bring in a measure that could affect the way hundreds of thousands of citizens went about their daily lives would have given at least six months' notice and would certainly have informed the people . . . in this case An Garda Siochana . . . who were tasked with implementing the policy.

In this case, however, the gardai weren't told and drivers were informed their lives would be changing the following Tuesday. In one fell swoop, a noble measure had incurred the enmity of at lest half a million people.

In the background to all this are the long waiting lists for driving tests around the country. Many people would love to do their tests and get their licences, but are prevented from doing so by massive delays in the testing system.

Until these are ended, the government should proceed cautiously with its plans.