Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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238. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he intends taking to ensure that where holding a foreign driving licence automatically entitles a person who moves to Ireland to an equivalent Irish licence, it is possible to effect the exchange of a licence with a minimum of delay and without leaving applicants without any licence for an extended period of time given that the foreign licence must be handed-in on application for the exchange; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1357/23]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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239. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the foreign driving licence of a person who moves to Ireland remains in force in the State until an exchange Irish driving licence is issued, despite the fact that the licence must be submitted with the application for an exchange Irish licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1358/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 239 together.

The exchange of foreign licences is managed through the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS). According to the NDLS, 20,604 foreign licence exchange applications were received in 2022, 92.5% of these have been processed to date. The average processing time for applications in 2022 was 36 working days, this has improved in recent months to 25 working days.  

There are various reasons for delays in processing foreign licence exchanges, for example, the driver may need to submit outstanding information, such as, a medical or eyesight report, or the physical driving licence itself in the case of an online application. The most common reason for delays is the NDLS awaiting verification of the driving licence from the foreign driving licence authority. At times a response is received very quickly but sometimes there can be considerable delays.?  

Vigilance is needed when processing a foreign licence for exchange to ensure a fraudulent document has not been submitted and to ensure a driving test was passed in the foreign country in which the licence was obtained.

As regards Question 1358/23, it is possible to drive in Ireland on a foreign licence for up to 12 months under the Geneva Convention, but this only applies to visitors. A person resident in Ireland must have an Irish or EU driving licence to drive here.

Under section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, it is an offence to drive without a valid driving licence.