Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the family of the late Cormac Ó Braonáin. I also offer my sympathy to the Labour Party on its great loss. It is obvious that he was a very fine young man.

I wish the Cathaoirleach, Leas-Chathoireach, Mr. Martin Groves, Ms Bridget Doody and all of the Seanad staff well, as well as the Leader and his staff. People do not realise the volume of work that must be done in the background to get Bills through the House and passed and to ensure that everything works efficiently. I congratulate them all and wish them a happy and safe Christmas.

I wish to raise the issue of the renewal of driver's licences. Some time ago, the Government awarded the contract for the issuance and renewal of licences to an external company. There are Irish people all over the world, including in Australia, China, America, England and elsewhere, but a person who loses or mislays a licence or whose licence expires must present himself or herself in person at one of the licensing offices dotted around the country. There is such an office in Castlebar in my area. In this day and age, one can renew one's passport in any part of the world using one's smartphone. One takes one's photograph, downloads an application, fills it out and uses one's credit card to pay the relevant fee. Irish people all over the world need to renew their driver's licence for one reason or another. In many cases their licence is used for identification purposes. They should be able to download a renewal application, take their photographs on their smartphone and renew the licence from wherever they are without any hassle. I call on the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, to bring this to the attention of the company that has the contract for the issuance and renewal of licences such that it upgrades its technology to allow our citizens around the world to renew their driving licence remotely.