Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to locations, it is important to bear in mind that the licences are licences for drivers. By and large, people with driving licences have access to a car even if they do not necessarily own one. Applying for the licence is something one has to do once in one's life, not every year or couple of months. Even people who live in remote rural areas drive to the cities or big towns more than once in their lives. The fact that they can now make an appointment means they can combine their journey with a shopping trip or hospital appointment, for example.

The system will have to be bedded down over the coming weeks. At that point, we will review it and determine whether it is necessary to have additional centres, mobile centres or part-time centres, particularly in areas where there is a geographical gap. I would like the system to be bedded down first. It is important to bear in mind that additional centres will come at an additional cost, which would have to be passed on to those applying for a driving licence.

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