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Driving Licence Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 October 2013

Thursday, 10 October 2013

Questions (219)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

219. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to extend the date by which driving licenceholders may get the trailer pulling category added on to their normal licences; if he is willing to amend the regulations to enable farmers who have a normal licence for ten years or more rather than prior to 1989 to be able to get this added on without doing another driving test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42838/13]

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Written answers

Prior to 1989, a person holding a licence to drive a car was entitled to tow trailers.  A change to regulations in that year introduced new categories of licence, including the categories B and BE. Category B was for a car alone or with a trailer up to 750 kg design gross vehicle weight, and BE for a car with a trailer of up to 3,500 kg design gross vehicle weight.

A driver who held a car licence in 1989 could retain the entitlement to tow trailers by ticking boxes for both categories at their next renewal date.  It appears that some drivers, unwittingly, did not apply to have the trailer category added to their licences at renewal time, and as a result lost their entitlement to tow trailers.

I have agreed with the Road Safety Authority (RSA), as an exceptional and once off measure, that category BE will be added to the licence of those drivers who can provide proof that they held this entitlement prior to 1989.  I understand that the proof required can be obtained from the Motor Tax Office that issued the licence.  Where proof is not available, the RSA will accept a sworn affidavit from the licence-holder indicating that he/she held a Class C licence prior to 1989.

The offer to add the trailer category will be available for a limited period to be determined by the RSA.  Drivers who obtained a driving licence after 1989 are still required to undertake a test in order to add an additional category, such as towing a trailer. It is important to remember that the requirement for such a test has been the case since 1989.

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