Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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325. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider awarding Irish driving licences to Irish expats returning to Ireland, who are competent drivers, and need renewed driving licences and who already have full driving licences from the country they are returning from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26013/25]

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 Irish driver licensing law operates within a framework of EU law, which sets out the driver licensing legislation with which all Member States must comply. The format of driving licences, categories of vehicles, and the standards to be met in driving tests to qualify for a licence are all set at EU level. Therefore, all EU issued licences are recognised in Member States.

Member States may also make bilateral agreements on licence exchange with non-EU jurisdictions. In reaching a bilateral agreement, the most important element is ensuring that the other jurisdiction applies standards for obtaining a licence which are compatible with Ireland's. For Ireland, the task of comparing the two licensing regimes falls to the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

One of the commitments of the Programme for Government 2025 is to “Work to facilitate the easier return to Ireland for emigrants, including reciprocal driving licence arrangements with the USA, Australia and Canada”. Ireland has licence exchange agreements with Australia and with seven of the ten Canadian provinces, so holders of these licences may, if resident in Ireland, exchange them for an Irish licence. The Department of Transport is exploring how to further meet this Programme for Government commitment.