Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party)
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274. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the waiting time for the reissuing of a Irish licence is so long for persons returning from abroad who have held a Irish driving licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25251/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports I wish to advise that the average processing time for a driving licence exchange application is currently 29 days.

Applications may be delayed for a number of reasons, for example due to outstanding information to be submitted by the applicant, such as a medical or eyesight report, the physical foreign driving licence or a delay with the verification process of the driving licence from the foreign driving licence authority.

Where a person has previously held an Irish licence, it may be renewed up to ten years after expiry, once the holder can establish residency in Ireland.

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party)
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275. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the original driver foreign licence must be confiscated, leaving the applicant without a licence and therefore unable to drive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25252/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that, for a driving licence exchange application, the National Driver Licence Service requires the physical driving licence being exchanged as part of the verification process, in order for it to be verified by the issuing authority. On the grant of an Irish driving licence, the original driving licence is returned to the issuing licensing authority.

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party)
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276. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a provision for a temporary or interim driver licence will be put in place as is standard practice in other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25253/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that the time taken to process driving licence exchange applications can vary. The licence for exchange must be verified by the jurisdiction that issued it and completion of the process is dependent on the response time from the issuing authority.

As issuing of a temporary licence would still require verification of the original licence, this would not happen any sooner than for an exchanged licence.