Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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1269. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has any intention of changing the criteria from the national driving licence service in order that a British citizen (details supplied) who holds a British-accredited bus driving licence could also drive buses here without having to resit the test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13743/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Irish driver licensing law operates within the framework of EU driver licensing law.  One of the consequences is that the vehicle categories for driving licences are standard across the EU.

Driving licences are interchangeable across the EU, so that a person with a driving licence from another Member State who takes up residence here is entitled to exchange their driving licence for an Irish one for the same vehicle categories.

The circumstances described by the Deputy are therefore already covered by the law.

I should add that, if a British licence was obtained as a result of exchanging a non-EU driving licence for a UK one, and if that non-EU licence was issued by a jurisdiction with which Ireland does not have an agreement on mutual recognition of driving licences, it would not be recognised here.

I have no plans to change the law in this area.