Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 November 2020
261. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport if persons here with British Commonwealth driver licences will be able to exchange their current driver license for an Irish driver licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34757/20]
View answerI assume that the Deputy is referring to the voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries knows as the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is a voluntary political association and is has no legal effect in either domestic or international terms. Holders of driving licences issued by the members of that association are no different to the holders of licences from any foreign jurisdiction. They will not be able to exchange their licence for an Irish driving licence unless they are members of the European Union or the European Economic Area or there is a specific bilateral exchange agreement on licence exchange in place with the relevant jurisdiction. Such exchange agreements can only be made when the relevant authorities in each jurisdiction have studied and compared the two licensing regimes, so that each side can be satisfied that they are compatible. On the Irish side, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
In terms of States which are currently members of the Commonwealth, there are currently exchange agreements in place in respect of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and 6 of the Canadian Provinces, namely Ontario, Manitoba, Newfoundland & Labrador, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta, as well as a number of jurisdictions which are members of the Commonwealth by virtue of their association with the British Crown, such as Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey.
