Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the Road Safety Authority's role as the National Driver Licensing Authority; if the local authorities now have no function in driver licensing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38587/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Following a review of the driver licence function, and with the introduction of a new plastic card licence in mind, the Government decided that the driver licence function should be centralised and operated by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). The Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012, enacted earlier this year, provides for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to be the national authority for driver licensing.   

The RSA will take over responsibility from local authorities with effect from January 2013, with the introduction of the new plastic card driving licence.  Work is well advanced on preparing for the transition to the new system.  

Under the new regime, there will be a central unit in the RSA overseeing the driver licensing system, with other elements being provided by contracts.  There will be a 'front office' customer interface to engage with the public; a 'back office' to process applications and a card producer for the new plastic card format licence.  I understand that the RSA is currently well advanced in the procurement process for each of these contracts.  

There will be a period of transition for part of 2013, during which the local authorities will continue to perform some driver licensing functions on behalf of the RSA.  After that, the RSA will have full responsibility for providing the driver licence service.