Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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1303. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a HGV driver licence is now only issued for five years in view of the fact that a regular driver licence is issued for ten years at the same cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15996/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Categories of driving licence and periods of validity are set in the first instance at EU level.  Member States may lower the period in cases where a person's medical condition means that a shorter term of validity followed by a renewed medical report is required.

EU law requires that the period of validity for a category C licence - which covers HGVs - should be 5 years, while a category B licence - for a car - has a period of 10 years.  This has been the case since January 2013.