Since January 2013, in accordance with EU requirements, Irish learner permits and driving licences have been issued in plastic credit-card sized format instead of the older paper format.
EU Directive 2006/126/EC provided for a number of security features as part of the card design. The card containing a microchip was an optional feature and the Irish driving licence contains a microchip. A decision has not yet been made about the nature of information, if any, to be stored on the driving licence microchip. Consideration as to the details to be recorded on the microchip, including any potential recording of information on penalty points or disqualifications that would assist and enhance in the enforcement of road traffic legislation, needs further detailed examination. This work is ongoing within the Road Safety Authority and the Authority has advised that it expects to make a recommendation to my Department on this matter in Spring 2016.
Regarding the linking of driver licences to the registration of vehicles, the Minister for Justice and Equality and I approved in principle in September 2015, subject to the development of a detailed business case, a Master Licence Record Project based on the National Vehicle and Driver File. At its meeting on 8 December 2015, Government noted the progress being made regarding assigning penalty points to drivers for relevant road traffic offences including the Master Licence Record Project. This is a substantial ICT project costing an estimated €4 million over a three-year period, which will entail linking the vehicle and driving licence database of the National Vehicle Driver File. Following approval of the project and the completion of the business case, work will proceed regarding implementation of this project.