James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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172. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding persons driving in Ireland with United Kingdom driving licences after 1 January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39492/20]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Irish driving licences can only be issued to people resident in Ireland. Driving licences issued by the Member States of the European Union are mutually recognised. Therefore, a holder of an EU licence who moves to another Member State can drive on that licence until the licence expires. On expiry, the licence holder will then need to exchange their licence for the licence of the country they are now resident in.

After the transition period (transition period ends 31 December 2020), the UK will no longer be a Member State and so a UK driving licence will not be recognised here. Holders of UK licences resident in Ireland are therefore encouraged to exchange their UK licences for an Irish one before this date.

However, legislation exists to allow for the recognition of foreign driving licences for exchange purposes in the Road Traffic Acts. Following the transition period, the potential then exists for arrangements to be made under those Acts and Ireland will be pursuing this option. This may take a little time to complete as it involves a formal agreement and legislation here in Ireland, as well as corresponding steps by the UK.

There is a distinction between motorists with a UK driving licence visiting Ireland and those living in Ireland. 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 Ireland and the UK are Contracting States to the Geneva Convention this position applies and will not change following the withdrawal date. This means that motorists who are not resident in Ireland but driving in Ireland with a UK driving licence while visiting are not affected by Brexit.