Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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249. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding initiating driving licence agreements with US states. [51252/25]

Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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250. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department will consider a streamlined process to allow holders of US driving licences to obtain an Irish driving license. [51253/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together.

As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that Irish driver licensing operates within a framework of EU law - the driver licensing legislation with which all Member States must comply. The standards for testing drivers are set at EU level and, accordingly, EU driving licences are recognised and exchangeable when a person moves from one Member State to another.

Ireland may make bilateral driving licence exchange agreements with non-EU jurisdictions. This is a technical process. Reaching agreement is not a matter of political will and the core principle is to ensure the continued safety of Irish road users. Agreements may be made only when the authorities in each jurisdiction have compared the licensing regimes and are satisfied that they are compatible. For Ireland, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority.

The Programme for Government 2025 has a commitment 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. Ireland does not have an agreement with the USA.

In order to meet the Programme for Government commitment, my Department has directed the RSA to examine licence and testing regimes in selected US states. In this regard, my Department, alongside the Department of Foreign Affairs has written to the Governor of New York State to request that a formal review of both the Irish and New York licensing and testing systems take place, with a view to evaluating whether a bilateral driving licence agreement is feasible.