Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2020
150. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport if the Common Travel Area under Brexit agreements with the United Kingdom will be extended to allow UK driver licences to remain in operation by residents in Ireland. [42748/20]
View answerThe Common Travel Area (CTA) is an arrangement between the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland that gives a variety of rights to citizens of those countries. It allows British and Irish citizens to travel freely between the UK and Ireland and reside in either jurisdiction. It also facilitates the enjoyment of associated rights and privileges for Irish citizens in the UK and British citizens in Ireland including the right to reside, to work, to study and to access social security benefits and health services, and to vote in local and national parliamentary elections. Through the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 8 May 2019, Ireland and the UK confirm the commitment of both Governments to maintaining the CTA in all circumstances.
The CTA arrangements do not, however, and never have, extended to driving licences.
My Department and the Road Safety Authority have been advertising since early 2019 that people residing in Ireland who hold a UK licence will need to exchange it for an Irish driving licence before 31 December 2020.
After this date, a UK driving licence will no longer be an EU licence and so will not be recognised as a valid licence for exchange purposes until a licence exchange agreement is in place between the UK and Ireland. This may take some time to complete as it involves the signing of a formal agreement between both jurisdictions and the introduction of legislation here in Ireland, as well as corresponding steps by the UK.
