Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when an application by a person (details supplied) to change a UK driver licence to an Irish driver licence will be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10531/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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All enquires relating to driver licensing are handled by the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS), provided by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). My Department does not have access to individual applications.

I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the RSA for direct reply. If he has not heard from them in 10 working days I would ask that he contact my office directly.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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152. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a UK driver licence issued in exchange for a Zimbabwean licence can be exchanged for an Irish driver licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10532/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has entered into a driving licence exchange agreement with the UK. Under this agreement, a UK licence holder is permitted to exchange their driving licence for an Irish licence with the equivalent categories.

An exception to this is where a licence issued in another (third) country, that Ireland does not have an exchange agreement with, was previously exchanged for a UK licence. Ireland does not have a licence exchange agreement with Zimbabwe and so a UK licence issued in exchange for such a licence can not be exchanged for an Irish licence.

If a person holds a UK licence where a higher category has been obtained by passing a driving test in the UK in reliance, as a prerequisite, on a lower category which originated from such a third country, then the licence is accepted for exchange.