Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 791 of 19 February 2013, if he will establish with the Road Safety Authority the tendering process which was used to award the contract to the National Driver Licence Service; and the reason pharmacies were excluded from this process. [10681/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Following a Government decision in May 2011, the driver licensing service has been centralised under the Road Safety Authority (RSA). With effect from 12th January 2013, the RSA is now the sole driver licensing authority for the State. The RSA has decided to operate this function under the title National Driver Licence Service.

The service will be provided through three service contracts and by the establishment of a specialist unit within the RSA. The three contracts will provide for a card production facility, a 'back-office' processing service and a 'front-office' customer interface. The RSA has awarded these contracts following open, competitive tendering processes conducted in accordance with national and EU procurement rules.

I understand that the issue of photo identification formed part of the specifications for the 'front-office' tender.