Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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172. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will request that the NDLS provide clarity to the public on the current situation with renewal of driver licences (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1227/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Due to the resurgence of Covid-19 in Europe as well as Ireand, the possible extension of driving licences is currently under consideration at EU level. A decision on this issue is expected by the end of January.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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173. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an issue (details supplied) regarding licences will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1256/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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This question appears to relate to a Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence, which is a qualification as opposed to a licence. 

EU legislation sets out a number of requirements to be satisfied in order to hold a road transport operator licence, one of which is professional competence. To fulfil this requirement, every road transport undertaking in Ireland (or in any other EU Member State) must have a nominated Transport Manager who resides in the EU to effectively and continuously manage its transport activities. The Transport Manager must hold a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), in either Road Haulage or Road Passenger Transport depending on the nature of the operator's business. This certificate must be issued by an EU Member State and is ordinarily obtained by passing a written examination.

As highlighted by the European Commission in 2018, and more recently in July 2020, with the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020, Transport Manager CPCs issued by an authority of the United Kingdom or a body authorised by the United Kingdom are no longer valid in the EU.

As part of the Government's Brexit preparations, my Department carried out a review and identified approximately 200 individuals with a UK-issued Transport Manager CPC nominated as Transport Manager for Irish road transport operators. This Department (rather than the RSA) wrote to these Transport Managers and the relevant operators to ensure that they were aware of the position as outlined by the European Commission. 

My Department liaised with the European Commission on this matter and received clarification at the end of November 2020 that a corresponding Irish Transport Manager CPC could be issued to those UK-qualified individuals working for Irish operators, before the end of the Brexit transition period.

In view of this clarification, my Department established arrangements with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) for the application process to obtain a corresponding Irish Transport Manager CPC.  CILT is the body that issues Transport Manager CPCs in Ireland on behalf of the Department of Transport. A further communication issued at the start of December 2020 to affected Transport Managers to outline how to apply for an Irish Transport Manager CPC.  This means that such Transport Managers making the necessary application before the end of the Brexit transition period are not required to undertake an Irish examination in order to continue to work as Transport Manager for an Irish or other EU operator.  It is important to note that, in line with the Commission’s clarification, applications were to be submitted to CILT by 31 December 2020, as after that date it is not possible to obtain an Irish Transport Manager CPC on the basis of holding a UK certificate. The Department emphasised this clearly in its communications to affected Transport Managers. This position was also outlined to the Deputy on 1 December, in the recent reply to PQ number 40449/20.