Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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200. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an asylum seeker who has an international driver licence and has suitable vehicle insurance can exchange their licence for an Irish driver licence as per information supplied by the NDLS under the heading holders of foreign licences. [50438/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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An international driving permit, that the Deputy has referred to as an international driving licence, is effectively a translation of a person's driving licence. A person must carry their driving licence along with their international driving permit when driving. An international driving permit cannot be exchanged for an Irish driving licence.

Currently under the Convention on Road Traffic 1949 (Geneva Convention), drivers from Contracting States carrying a valid driver’s licence can drive on each other’s roads for up to a year as a visitor. Such drivers may be required to carry an international driving permit provided for under the provisions of the Convention.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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201. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a person that holds an EU driver licence which has expired within the past ten years can exchange it for an Irish licence in view of the fact asylum seekers seem to be prevented from doing so. [50439/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Irish driving licensing law operates within a framework of EU law. Under the EU Directive on driving licences, driving licences issued by Member States are mutually recognised. The European Communities (Recognition of Driving Licences of Other Member States) Regulations 2008 (S.I. No. 464 of 2008) provides for this in national law.

A person who has held a driving licence, or a recognised driving licence issued by the competent authority of a Member State, for any period within the period of 10 years preceding the date of application, can submit such licence when applying for a driving licence.