Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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300. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if steps are being taken to establish a reciprocal drivers' licence exchange agreement with the United States of America, given the large number of people moving from the US to Ireland who are forced to re-sit their tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15430/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Irish driver licensing operates within a framework of EU law – the driver licensing legislation with which all Member States must comply – and the standards for testing drivers are set at EU level. Driver licensing laws are intended to ensure drivers on our roads meet high safety standards.

Someone who is resident in Ireland must hold an Irish or EU/EEA driving licence to drive here. While a visitor to Ireland can use a non-EU/EEA licence for up to one year, provided it is current and valid, on taking up normal residence here they must exchange their licence or apply for an Irish licence.

A driving licence may be exchanged where Ireland has a reciprocal licence exchange agreement with the other jurisdiction. A person with a full but non-exchangeable licence must go through the normal driver learning process, but can avail of shorter Essential Driver Training of 6 lessons, instead of 12, and does not have to be a learner for the usual minimum of 6 months before taking a driving test.

Irish licences are, in general, granted for ten years. An Irish licence holder, if resident in Ireland, may renew their licence for up to ten years after expiry. A driver who does not renew their licence by this time must start the process from the beginning.

Ireland may make bilateral licence exchange agreements with non-EU jurisdictions. This is a technical, road safety-based process and reaching an exchange agreement is not a matter of political will. The technical assessment is an independent process that requires the agreement of the counter party jurisdiction and agreements are made only when both licencing authorities have compared the licencing regimes and are satisfied that they are compatible. For Ireland, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

The core principle is the continued safety of Irish road users. In reaching an agreement, the most important element is ensuring that the other jurisdiction applies standards for testing drivers that are compatible with our own. Where these standards are not met, no agreement is possible, no matter how desirable an agreement with that jurisdiction may be. Ireland’s road toll has been rising in recent years and it is imperative, for the safety of all Irish road users, that people who are awarded Irish driving licences have been tested to the same standard as Irish drivers.

In considering licence exchange agreements, Ireland has to date given priority to countries that may be a source of professional drivers, in light of the sectoral shortages across the EU. However, the principle of ensuring the safety of Irish road users is still paramount in reaching such agreements.

The Programme for Government seeks licence exchange agreements with Canada, Australia and the USA. Ireland already has agreements with Australia and seven of the Canadian provinces and is examining an agreement with an eighth province.

Ireland does not have a licence exchange agreement with the USA. The RSA has previously explored such an agreement. However, US driver licensing operates at state rather than federal level, meaning there are 50 licensing systems with widely varying standards and road safety performance. Agreement with any one state would mean taking into account the licence exchange arrangements between that state and the other 49.

Any potential agreements with individual US states would need to be considered in the context of both inter-state exchange arrangements and the safety of Irish road users. Such agreements would also have to apply to eligible Irish residents and not solely to returning emigrants.

I have initiated efforts to consider driving licence agreements with US states. Initial discussions with some relevant stakeholders have taken place, and I am committed to actively advancing this examination.