Written Answers Nos. 660-679
660. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the procedure used by his Department to inform drivers of the requirement to surrender their licence to the Road Safety Authority on disqualification; the procedure used to contact drivers when the unique driver number has not been captured. [1138/26]
View answerAs Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that in the case of District Court convictions, the Courts Service notifies the offender if they are disqualified and this notification also advises of the requirement to surrender their Driving Licence to the Road Safety Authority (RSA). When a disqualification is imposed by An Garda Síochána or for penalty point disqualifications (where multiple sets of points exceed the relevant threshold), the offender is notified by the Department of the changes to their NVDF record, which includes an instruction to surrender the Driving Licence to the RSA. Where an offence has not been matched to a driver record and a ‘shell record’ has instead been created on the NVDF, the notification will issue to the name and address supplied with the information received by my Department.
It is an offence to drive while disqualified and once a driver is disqualified, their licence is no longer valid, whether it has been surrendered or not. In a significant share of disqualification cases, the driver in question has not had a licence at all.
Failing to surrender a licence following disqualification is also an offence and is a matter for the Garda Síochána. An Garda Síochána have access to data on the NVDF and can therefore detect and prosecute drivers who continue to drive while disqualified by court order or penalty point disqualification, whether or not their licence has been surrendered.
It is important to note that, while the non-surrender of licences is of concern, the key concern to me as Minister and to the RSA is whether a driver who has been disqualified continues to drive on our roads. The individuals in question are fully aware of the Court's decision and the disqualification is in effect regardless of whether their licence is surrendered.
664. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport the number of WTE revenue protection managers employed by Iarnród Éireann as of 5 January 2026, in tabular form. [1159/26]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
665. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport the number of WTE revenue protection managers employed by Bus Éireann as of 5 January 2026, in tabular form. [1160/26]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Bus Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
666. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department is aware of any drivers’ licences cancelled in the recent crackdown on fraudulent pass grades for driving tests (details supplied) under the licence exchange agreement; whether his Department has discussed this issue with the NDLS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1165/26]
View answerAs Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that Ireland has a licence exchange agreement with South Africa and holders of valid South African licences may exchange their licence for an Irish licence.
The Road Safety Authority has responsibility for licence exchange matters. Accordingly, I have referred this matter to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
673. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport when a driving licence exchange application will be completed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1190/26]
View answerAs Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that all enquiries relating to driver licensing are handled by the National Driver Licence Service, the provision of which I have delegated under national legislation to the Road Safety Authority.
I have referred this matter to the Authority for direct reply. Please contact my office if you have not replied a reply with ten days.
675. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport if insurance companies have the ability to check whether a driver has been disqualified prior to the issuing of a policy of motor insurance; and the way in which that process works. [1209/26]
View answerAs Minister of State with responsibility for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, I wish to inform the Deputy that the relevant sections of the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 allowing access by insurers and intermediaries to disqualification and endorsement data from my Department's National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) database at policy processing or renewal time were commenced last year.
These provisions are now also being implemented in practice. The NVDF holds driver number and disqualification status for all drivers in the State. Since 31 March 2025 when a insurer or insurance intermediary attempts to validate the driver number of a disqualified driver against the NVDF, the validation will fail. Following this failed validation, the insurer or intermediary will advise the driver to contact the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) for a driver statement to confirm the licence status.
677. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport if he has brought about an end to the use of online apps that, for a fee, can secure driving test cancellations and skip the waiting list. [1276/26]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service, I have therefore referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
I understand that the RSA is aware of some third party applications purporting to offer driving test candidates cancelled appointments. The only official site for booking a driving test slot is the RSA operated MyRoadSafety portal. The RSA is not affiliated with any third party booking systems and I would urge anybody seeking to book a test to do so through the official RSA portal.
Additionally, the RSA ICT department continues to work closely with their partners to ensure that such sites or third parties are restricted in their ability to access the booking portal.
678. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport if a driving test applicant can apply to a test centre with a shorter waiting list and, when invited to select a test date, move to a driving test centre with a longer waiting list, therefore jumping the queue. [1277/26]
View answer745. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the details in relation to booking a driving test (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1864/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 678 and 745 together.
I wish to advise that, under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing, which includes the operation and management of the MyRoadSafety customer portal.
I have therefore referred the Deputy's questions to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
679. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number of driving testers employed by the RSA for each month in 2024 and January 2025. [1278/26]
View answer688. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the total number of driver testers employed by the Road Safety Authority and working in test centres to date in 2026, by driving test centre, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1347/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 679 and 688 together.
Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service, including all recruitment matters. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.
Pending this response, I wish to advise the Deputy that the figures for driver tester distribution are also made available on the CSO website on a monthly basis at the following link: data.cso.ie/table/ROA38
