Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 July 2021
64. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to an issue in respect of the renewal of a truck driver licence and medical certifications (details supplied); the steps he has taken and or will take to remedy this as soon as possible; and if he has engaged the NDLS on these matters. [38446/21]
View answerIreland received authorisation from the EU to extend driving licences that expire between 1 July and 31 October 2021 for an additional 10 months.
This extension was applied on 2 July 2021. It was granted under EU Regulation 2021/267 and is recognised by all EU Member States. A copy of the Regulation can be found on the European Union Law website:
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021R0267&qid=1625569643896.
When the extension is applied, the expiry date on the driver file for each person affected is updated to the new expiry date. It is not possible to extend or not extend individual driving licences. By law, a driving licence cannot be renewed more than 3 months before the expiry of the licence.
The Deputy will appreciate that the requirement to submit a medical report with Group 2 (truck and bus) licence applications, dated not more than one month prior to the date of application, is to ensure that the most up-to-date assessment of the applicant is provided.
I am aware that some people seeking to renew their licences may have obtained medical certificates that are no longer required, owing to the extension of their licences. However, for all classes of licence where a medical certificate is required, it is the applicant's responsibility to provide this and there is no mechanism to reimburse individual applicants.
