Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he intends to take the issuing of driving licences from the local authorities; if so, the proposed location of the central issuing office of new licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56615/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In May 2011, the Government decided, with the introduction of a plastic card driving licence from 19 January 2013, to centralise the driver licence function. It was also decided that the RSA would become the centralised driver licensing authority. The legislation to provide for the transfer of the function was passed by the Oireachtas earlier this year, and the RSA will officially become the national driver licensing authority with effect from 12 January 2013. There will be a transition period for part of 2013, estimated to be approximately nine months, during which the local authorities will continue to perform some driver licensing functions on behalf of the RSA.

The new system will consist of three outsourced contracts: a 'front office' to engage with the public, a 'back office' to process applications, and a card producer who will produce the new plastic card format licence. The RSA will also establish a central specialist unit to manage and oversee the driver licensing function. The central unit will be based in the RSA headquarters in Ballina.