Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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608. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the treaty arrangements with the UK for the mutual recognition of driving disqualifications; and the timeline for implementing this treaty. [2666/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Since 2010, under the terms of an EU Convention, Ireland has operated a bilateral agreement with the UK for the Mutual Recognition of Driver Disqualifications. The UK decided, in 2014, to withdraw from a number of EU Conventions, including the Mutual Recognition of Driver Disqualifications, and, therefore, since 1 December 2014, the terms of the agreement ceased to apply. My Department held a number of meeting with the UK authorities during 2014 to conclude a replacement agreement. Discussions are at an advanced stage and only some technical legal issues remain to be resolved.

As it will be considered as a formal international treaty, Government approval for the agreement will be required before final conclusion. Primary legislation will also be necessary to give legal effect to its conditions. I propose to include the necessary provisions in the next Road Traffic Bill, which I expect to bring to Government in the coming weeks.