Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland received authorisation from the EU to extend driving licences that expire between 1 July and 31 October 2021 for an additional 10 months.

This extension was applied on 2 July 2021. It was granted under EU Regulation 2021/267 and is recognised by all EU Member States. A copy of the Regulation can be found on the European Union Law website:

eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021R0267&qid=1625569643896.

When the extension is applied, the expiry date on each driver file is updated to the new expiry date. Although a new physical licence will not be issued with the extended expiry date, a driver may request a letter of entitlement from the Road Safety Authority to take when driving abroad. A letter of entitlement is a copy of the driver's record and will show the extended date of expiry of the licence. Further information can be found on the National Driver Licence Service website: ie/about/order-my-driver-statement.html.

All EU member states will recognise an extension granted by the EU. However, recognition of these extensions is a matter for each non-EU country. The UK and Northern Ireland authorities have been informed of the Irish extensions in place.