Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 November 2020
81. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport his plans ensure that driving licences due to expire over the coming weeks during level 5 restrictions will be extended until these measures are lifted given that the NDLS has advised that appointments for non-essential workers should be cancelled by applicants and that many will be unable to avail of online or postal renewals for various reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34371/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no plan to further extend the validity of driving licences. Irish driving licence law is based on a framework of EU law, and the current extensions bring us into line with the EU legislation.
Under Covid19 Level 5 Government restrictions effective from midnight on Wednesday 21 October, for six weeks, applicants can attend an appointment at a National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) centre provided they are an essential worker involved in the provision of essential services or essential retail outlets. Details on what is included in the list of essential workers and retail outlets is available on www.gov.ie.
A person can apply online to renew a driving licence or learner permit if no supporting documents are required with their application, for example if they are under 70 years of age and do not have a truck or bus category on your licence. They must have verified MyGovID account, which requires a Public Services Card (PSC), to make an application online.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is continuing work to expand the online facility to accommodate all driving licence and learner permit application types to enable accessibility on-line rather than by calling to an office. The NDLS hopes to allow all application types to apply online by mid-November.
The safety of the public is of paramount importance. While I appreciate the situation is difficult for people, we are bound by the constraints imposed by the Government's Level 5 restrictions, and the need to keep both customers and staff of the NDLS as safe as possible.
