Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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26. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to consider making arrangements whereby Irish people with driving licences obtained while living abroad could avail of some form of recognition or fast track to certify their competence. [27503/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Irish driver licensing law operates within a framework of EU law. Driver licensing laws are intended to ensure drivers on our roads meet high safety standards. Testing standards are set at EU level.

Ireland may make bilateral agreements on licence exchange with non-EU jurisdictions. This is not a straightforward matter. Reaching them is not a matter of political will and the core principle is to ensure the continued safety of Irish road users. Agreements can be made only when the authorities in each jurisdiction have studied and compared the licensing regimes, so that each side is satisfied that they are compatible. For Ireland, this is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

In order to drive here, people with a non-exchangeable licence who come to reside in Ireland must obtain an Irish licence. A person with a full but non-exchangeable licence must go through the normal driver learner permit process, but they can avail of the shorter Essential Driver Training of 6 lessons, instead of the usual 12, and they do not have to be a learner for the usual minimum of 6 months before taking a driving test.