Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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51. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if persons over 70 years of age will be allowed to renew their driver licences online, as is the case for persons under 70 years of age, in view of the advice to over-70s to limit their social contacts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27460/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As part of the measures put forward to cater for issues arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, regulations were introduced to provide for the removal of the requirement for persons over 70 years of age, who do not have an identified or specified illness, to provide a medical report when applying for or renewing a driving licence beginning on the 20 March and ending on 31 December 2020. Those who are over 70 and who are renewing a one year licence, can do so by post. Further information on the process can be had by emailing info@ndls.ie.

The current driving licence online application system does not facilitate the uploading of supporting documentation, so although the medical report requirement has been removed, the online system has not yet been amended to accommodate this change.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is continuing work to expand the online facility to accommodate all driving licence and learner permit application types, and in a manner that does not undermine the existing legal framework or the effective operations of the stakeholders involved. The Department and the Office of Parliamentary Counsel are working on the necessary regulatory changes.

For those caling to centres, the NDLS centres have been assessed and measures have been put in place to align with the Government's Return to Work Safely Protocols.  Appropriate signage, sanitation and handwashing, and social distancing measures such as reduced seating in waiting areas and customer touchpoint cleansing, have been introduced. Customers will be accompanied into and out of centres and will be required to adhere to necessary health and safety guidelines.