Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I fail to understand why it is not possible to switch those licences that are still valid and replace them with the plastic card when the time arrives. The cost would not be significant and if we want to standardise the licence, making it easier for law enforcement officers on inspection to recognise if someone is disqualified, we should ensure everyone will be issued with the new licence from the date it goes live instead of having a rolling programme under which the old licence will be eliminated over a period of ten years. Those who have had a licence replaced this year will hold it for ten years; therefore, there should be a swapping of licences to standardise them.

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