Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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506. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider providing an exemption for persons who held a provisional licence prior to November 1989 when it comes to the issue of special licences for persons towing trailers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47935/13]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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534. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he outline the type of theory test and driving test that will be required for persons without the EB category of licence who held a car licence previously permitting the theory of trailers prior to the legislative change. [48381/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 506 and 534 together.

Prior to 1989 there was a single licence category covering cars and the drawing of trailers with cars.  In that year, a change in Regulations was made, so that the drawing of a trailer with a car became a separate category.  People who previously held the single category had the option, when renewing their licences, of applying for both of the new categories. 

It appears that, in some cases, people did not tick the appropriate box and therefore lost their trailer entitlement.  I agreed, as a once-off measure, that the Road Safety Authority should accommodate people who could prove that they held a full licence before 1989 in reclaiming the trailer entitlement.

The once-off concession applied only to those who held full driving licences in 1989. Those who qualified for a full licence after 1989 were required to take a separate test in order to qualify for a trailer licence.

The RSA advertised the procedure for applying to reclaim the trailer entitlement, and the closure date was 8 November 2013.  

There were no tests involved - the point of the exercise was to allow those who had previously held a trailer entitlement to reclaim it.