Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 July 2004
90 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Transport the action he is taking to put procedures in place for lost driving licences where there is no record of a licence having been issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20308/04]
View answerAs I indicated in my reply to Question No. 188 of 16 June 2004, the issuing of driving licences is a matter for each licensing authority in accordance with the provisions of the Road Traffic Acts and regulations made thereunder. Records of licences issued are held on the national driver file which is a central record held by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Computer databases and records of licences issued were held by each licensing authority until they were transferred to the National Driver File two years ago. It remains the responsibility of the licensing authorities to ensure that the licence record is updated when new licences are issued.
A person who has lost a driving licence may apply for a duplicate licence by completing statutory form D 800 which is available at licensing authorities. Where the licensing authority are satisfied that the driving licence has been lost, destroyed or mutilated they may, on payment of a fee of €5 issue a duplicate licence.
A licensing authority may only issue a driving licence if it receives, inter alia, a certificate of competency from an individual or proof that that individual was already entitled to a driving licence. In the absence of such documentation, the law precludes the licensing authority from issuing a driving licence or a duplicate driving licence. Where a licensing authority has no record of a person having held a licence, a person may submit to the licensing authority, in support of their application for a further licence, any evidence they might have that they held a driving licence and the vehicle categories in respect of which they held the licence.
