Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021
281. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Transport if he will examine the impact current learner driver regulations are having on persons who move to or return to Ireland and can demonstrate a significant track record of driving abroad; if he will consider waiving the unaccompanied regulations for this cohort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16815/21]
View answerIrish driver licensing law operates within a framework of EU law. It is important to remember that driver licensing law exists to ensure that people licensed to drive on our roads meet high standards of safety. The standards for testing drivers are set at EU level. As such, all EU driving licences are exchangeable when a person moves from one Member State to another.
In the case of non-EU jurisdictions, we may make bilateral agreements on licence exchange. These agreements can be made only 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).
When people come to Ireland with a non-exchangeable licence, we have no option but to require them to go through the process of obtaining an Irish licence. This is a matter of public safety. While many may have a safe driving record, we have no way of measuring this.
People with a full but non-exchangeable licence go through the normal driver learning process but can avail of the shorter Essential Driver Training of 6 lessons instead of the usual 12, and they do not have to be a learner for the usual minimum of 6 months before taking a driving test.
It is important to clarify that a learner permit is not a licence, but a permit to allow a person to drive while learning. There will be no exceptions to the current laws in force around learner drivers. An unaccompanied learner driver who is stopped by An Garda Síochána may face penalty points, a fixed charge, seizure of the vehicle and possible prosecution.
