Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 March 2014
281. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps taken if his Department becomes concerned a developing medical condition may impair the capacity of the holder of a full driver licence to drive a motor car safely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11384/14]
View answerThe Road Safety Authority (RSA) has full statutory responsibility for driver licensing. My Department has no role in the direct administration of licensing and no power to intervene in individual cases. The circumstances envisaged by the Deputy would not come to the attention of my Department.
Irish legislation with regard to medical fitness to drive, is governed by EU law. This legislation is set out in the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 537 of 2006), as amended, in particular, by the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2010 (S.I. No. 544 of 2010). The most recent change to the medical fitness to drive regulations was made in S.I. No. 544 of 2010, which transposed into Irish law two EU Directives, Commission Directive No. 2009/112/EC of 25 August 2009 and Commission Directive No. 2009/113/EC of 25 August 2009. These Directives revised EU standards on medical fitness to drive in a number of areas, including eyesight, epilepsy, and diabetes mellitus.
Aside from the legislative requirements, the RSA and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland have established the National Programme Office for Traffic Medicine to carry out research and advise on the appropriate approaches to issues such as medical fitness to drive.
