Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
188. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport if he and his Department will make efforts with the new United States administration to streamline driver licensing arrangements between Ireland and the United States of America given the challenges that exist for returning Irish emigrants or American citizens relocating to Ireland in the area of driver licensing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24034/21]
View answerIrish driver licensing law operates within a framework of EU law, which sets out the driver licensing legislation with which all Member States must comply. The format of driving licences, categories of vehicles, and the standards to be met in driving tests to qualify for a licence, are all set at EU level. As all Member States test drivers to the same standard, there can be a mutual recognition of driving licences for exchange purposes.
When it comes to driving licences issued by non-EU states, we may make bilateral agreements on licence exchange. The fundamental component in the negotiations on reaching such agreements is that the relevant authorities on each side must study and compare the two licensing regimes, so that each may be satisfied that they are compatible. Driver licensing exists in the interests of public safety and is in essence about ensuring that people licensed to drive on our roads have reached certain recognised standards. In reaching a bilateral agreement, therefore, the most important element is ensuring that the other jurisdiction applies standards for obtaining a licence which are compatible with our own. Where they do not meet these standards, no agreement is possible, no matter how desirable an agreement with that jurisdiction may be. From the Irish side, the task of conducting a comparison of the two licensing regimes falls to the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
The RSA has previously explored reaching agreement on exchange with the USA. However, US driver licensing operates at state rather than federal level, meaning that there are 50 licensing systems with widely varying standards and indeed widely varying road safety performance, many with levels of road fatalities significantly worse than most EU countries. Agreement with any one state would mean taking into account the exchange relations between that state and the other 49. The RSA determined that such an agreement would not be possible.
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.
