Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

A licence is a very important document to each and every individual. I appreciate the Senator's concern that licence holders may not be aware that their licence has expired and that they should receive reminders from local authorities. Arrangements are now being made with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which holds and administers the national driver file to which we have access, to have renewal notices issued to licence holders.

It should be noted that a significant number of licence holders will have changed address in the ten-year period of their licence and will not receive the notice if they have moved. If they have moved there is an obligation to advise the local authority of their new address. If an amendment along the lines proposed by Senator Burke were inserted, people who had let their licence lapse could plead that they had not received a renewal licence and that would weaken this provision considerably.

We have catered in the Bill for what Senator Burke is proposing in that licences will issue but it is the responsibility of individuals to ensure they have a current licence. To accept this amendment would put too great an onus on us when we are making arrangements with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to issue notices. That goes part of the way towards catering for the principle in Senator Burke's amendment.