Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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466. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which he plans to enforce the Road Traffic Act 2016 that gives effect to an agreement with the UK on mutual recognition of driver disqualifications which was signed in October 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40283/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The mutual recognition of driving disqualifications between Ireland and the UK came into effect on 1 August 2017. This new measure is underpinned by an International Agreement between Ireland and the UK.

Under the Ireland/UK Agreement, the driving disqualification is, in effect, transferred by the State which imposes it to the licence of the offender's "home" state, so the legal consequence of the offence committed follows the offender home.

In Ireland mutual recognition of driver disqualifications of a person normally resident in Ireland or holding an Irish driving licence who has been disqualified from driving in the UK for one of the very serious offences covered by the Agreement will be pursued by the Road Safety Authority who will apply to the relevant court in Ireland for a court order which will impose the disqualification in Ireland. Similarly the Road Safety Authority will notify the relevant UK authorities of persons normally resident in the UK or holding a UK driving licence who have been disqualified from driving in Ireland, and the relevant UK authorities will similarly pursue the disqualification in the UK.

Mutual recognition of driving disqualifications is an important road safety measure for both Ireland and the UK, and I know you will share my hope that it will be successful in helping to improve driver behaviour and in reducing deaths and injuries on our roads.