Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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222. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on negotiations between the Irish Government and the Canadian Government on a driving licence transfer process or mutual recognition of licences in each jurisdiction. [30571/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Road Safety Authority (RSA), which takes responsibility for the negotiation of mutual recognition of driving licences with other jurisdictions, has been engaged for some time with the Canadian provinces with the assistance of the Irish Embassy in Ottawa. It was decided to prioritise negotiations with Ontario due to the large number of Irish living there.  I understand from the RSA that agreements were reached on virtually all details with Ontario, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador.  Difficulties then arose in relation to some aspects of the agreement, which were resolved following intervention by my Department.  

Thanks to their efforts, this week I signed an agreement to allow for the mutual exchange of driving licences between Ireland and Ontario.  This will be a huge benefit to the thousands of Irish citizens living and working in Ontario, as well as to people from Ontario now living and working in Ireland. Ontario is Canada's most populous province and includes the city of Toronto. I hope to see agreement with the other provinces follow shortly.