asked the Minister for Local Government whether a person holdings a provisional driving licence to drive a private motor car may obtain a provisional driving licence to drive an auto-cycle; and, if not, if he will amend the regulations to permit persons to hold licences for both categories having regard to hardship caused by present limitations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Auto-Cycle Driving Licence.
47.
Under present provisions a person may hold a provisional licences to drive vehicles of more than one class. He may not, however, obtain such a licence to drive vehicles of an additional class during the currency of an existing licence. I have been reexamining this restriction and propose to make an amendment to the regulations to remove it.
Could the Minister give us any indication as to when he hopes to make an amendment? Could the Minister say why his Department has not replied to a letter from me in which I brought a particular case to the Department's notice a month ago of a student who has a motor car driving licence and who now is going to the university from Harold's Cross and is unable to go from his home in Donnybrook to the university on an auto-cycle his father has bought for him because of this restriction?
One of the reasons why no specific reply might have been sent to the Deputy in the case quoted was due perhaps to the fact that, at the time of the receipt of the letter bringing this to our notice, we were already in the process of drafting amendments to the regulations. In fact, this particular difficulty had already been evidenced elsewhere and had been under review and it was on the basis that that review was still continuing, I presume, the Deputy was not specifically informed of the situation. In so far as the amending of the regulations is concerned and when we would hope they will be in operation, all I can say is we are nearing the end of the review and we are doing the best we can to get amending regulations out in the near future.
(Cavan): Would the Minister consider changing the regulation to deal with this particular type of case because the converse is also true? I think the Minister will agree that if a person has a provisional licence to drive an auto-cycle he cannot, during the currency of that licence, change over to driving a motor car. I think the Minister is aware that there is considerable hardship throughout the country as a result of this particular regulation. Would the Minister try to expedite the amendment of this regulation?
What we propose to do there is that in the case of any licence of that restricted nature, the actual workout will be that during the currency of the existing licence an additional class licence may be obtained by the handing in of the present licence and the reissue of another licence.
That will not cost another pound, will it?
If it means that the six months is extended by two months, naturally, it will cost proportionately more but it will not be an over-charge.
(Cavan): Might I suggest that the Minister issue a direction straight away?
I cannot issue a direction contrary to my own regulations.
(Cavan): Might I suggest that the Minister amend the regulations straight away?
That is what I am doing.