Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

123. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the Road Safety Authority first announced a change for CPC course providers that all trucks must become automatic by 1 June 2020 but later pushed the date back to 1 November 2020 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14288/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The background to this issue is that almost all trucks and buses now being sold have automatic transmission systems. However, most Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) instruction vehicles have manual transmission systems. In some cases a person will take a driving test in a vehicle with an automatic transmission system; in that instance the driving licence that subsequently issues reflects this and that person cannot drive a vehicle with a manual transmission system. For the vast majority of cases this is not a problem and only arises where that person wishes to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission.

COMMISSION DIRECTIVE (EU) 2020/612 of 4 May 2020 amending Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on driving licences provides that EU Member States may allow a driver who takes a bus or truck driving test in an automatic transmission vehicle to be granted a licence to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission if they had already taken a driving test in a vehicle (usually a car) with a manual transmission.

This Directive is due to be transposed into Irish law by 1 November 2020. It was the intention to have this law in place earlier in the year, unfortunately due to emergency legislation required as a result of Covid-19 it was not possible. However, work has commenced on this piece of legislation and it is still hoped to have it in place before November.