Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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1146. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a person temporarily residing in a non-European Union country but ordinarily resident in Ireland can apply by post to have a driving licence renewed; the length of time a person needs to be living abroad in a non-European Union country to be considered non-resident for the purposes of renewing a driving licence; if Ireland has a driving licence exchange agreement with Australia and what this means in practice for Irish citizens applying for Australian driving licences. [10355/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Irish law on driver licensing operates within a framework of EU law. Under EU legislation, Ireland issues licences only to people whose 'normal residence' is in Ireland.  'Normal residence' is defined in EU law in the first instance by a person residing for more than 185 days of the year in a given EU Member State. However, the EU definition allows that, where a person divides their time between two countries, with personal ties in one and work in another, they are deemed to be 'normally resident' in the country to which they have personal ties, provided that they return regularly to the country of normal residence. Irish citizens normally resident in this jurisdiction but temporarily abroad for work purposes may renew their Irish driving licence  by post, without having to appear at an office of the National Driver Licensing Service.

 Ireland has an exchange arrangement for driving licences with Australia.  An Irish driving licence holder who takes up residence in Australia may therefore apply in Australia to exchange their Irish licence for an Australian one.  Were they to return to Ireland at some point in the future, they would be able to apply to exchange the Australian licence for an Irish one.