asked the Minister for the Environment if he will consider issuing driving licences for category D to men who were in receipt of a full D licence when they were called up for military duty during the last emergency, in view of the fact that a licence was not needed to drive Army transport and that these men now find that they have to do a driving test before they can take up duties in civilian life.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Driving Licences.
2.
Under the Road Traffic Acts, any person seeking a driving licence for vehicles of a particular class is required to take the appropriate driving test before a licence may be granted, unless he held such a licence within the preceding five years. There is no statutory provision for exemption from this requirement by virtue of Army driving experience. The matter has been raised on several occasions since the driving test was introduced and is at present the subject of further consultation between my Department and the Department of Defence.
Would the Minister not consider that some facility should be made available to such people in the Army periodically to afford them an opportunity of ensuring that they would have a licence when they come out? On occasion, they miss a civilian job because they have not a driver's licence.
As I said in my reply, my Department are at present having discussions with the Department of Defence. When the Act was drawn up no provision was made for the exclusion of Army drivers.