Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2025
282. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Transport the countries/states/provinces which Ireland has licence exchange agreements; those which his Department are engaged in the process of obtaining such an agreement; the year such processes began; the average timeframe to achieve such an agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51737/25]
View answerAs 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 not a straightforward matter. Reaching such an 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 their licensing regimes and are satisfied that they are compatible. For Ireland, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
The RSA’s assessment is a technical and independent process that requires adherence to EU standards and the agreement of the counter party jurisdiction too.
The timeframes for establishing a licence exchange agreement vary for a variety of reasons, most commonly if engagement from the other jurisdiction is delayed. External factors such as Brexit, Covid-19 restrictions and the priorities of other jurisdictions have also had an impact on timeframes.
Licence exchange agreements with 3rd countries/states/provinces – concluded and in progress
|
Country/Province |
Year Engagement commenced |
Year Concluded |
|
Australia* |
1993 |
1993 (Update & review in 2023) |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
2023 |
Process ongoing |
|
Canada - Alberta |
2013 |
2020 |
|
Canada - Ontario |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Canada - British Columbia |
2014 |
2017 |
|
Canada - Manitoba |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Canada - Newfoundland & Labrador |
2014 |
2016 |
|
Canada - Saskatchewan |
2014 |
2019 |
|
Canada - Nova Scotia |
2014 |
Process ongoing |
|
Canada- New Brunswick |
2017 |
2021 |
|
Georgia |
2023 |
2023 |
|
Japan* |
1989 |
1989 |
|
Korea* |
1999 |
1999 |
|
Moldova |
2021 |
Negative recommendation in 2022. Review re-commenced in 2023 after changes in Moldovan legislation. |
|
Northern Ireland |
2019 |
2021 |
|
South Africa* |
1999 |
1999 |
|
United Kingdom |
2019 |
2021 |
|
UK Crown Dependencies: Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man & Jersey |
2021 |
2024 |
|
North Macedonia |
2021 |
Process Ongoing |
|
New York |
2025 |
Process Ongoing |
|
New Zealand |
2009 |
2010 |
|
Taiwan |
2009 |
2010 |
*Political agreement. These agreements precede the establishment of the RSA and the current process where the RSA examines the other jurisdiction’s licencing and testing system to confirm compatibility.
