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Driver Licences

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018

Tuesday, 20 March 2018

Ceisteanna (819)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

819. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the conversion of Irish driver licences in Boston and the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11846/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

There are no arrangements for exchange of driving licences between Ireland and the United States.

The starting point for driver licensing law is that it is a matter of public safety - we need to be satisfied that people licensed to drive on our roads have met certain basic standards.  Driver testing standards are set at EU level, and as such all EU driving licences are interchangeable. 

In the case of non-EU jurisdictions, we may reach bilateral agreements on driver licence exchange. These are not a straightforward matter and cannot be reached simply because they are convenient. They are based on detailed comparison of the two licensing regimes so that each side may be satisfied, in the interests of public safety, that their standards are comparable. On the Irish side, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

The RSA has examined the possibility of driver licence exchange with the USA. However, US driver licensing operates at State rather than Federal level. This means that there are 50 different systems, with widely varying standards. It would be necessary to reach 50 separate agreements, each of which would have to take account of the arrangements between the State in question and the other 49. The RSA concluded that this was not possible.

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