merrion street

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar  today presented two new drivers with the new credit-card sized driving licences which launched this week.

Aoife Murphy from Blarney, Co. Cork and Daniela Reicke from Cork City were among the first drivers in the country to receive the new licence, having recently passed their driving test.

Almost 6,000 new plastic card licences have issued to drivers this week following the changeover from paper licences to plastic card licences on 19th January. The introduction of the plastic card licence is one aspect of an EU Directive to upgrade and standardise all licences across the EU; previously, as many as 100 different types of licence were in operation throughout the EU.

Minister Varadkar said the new licence is more secure and more convenient, and also meets Ireland’s obligations under the EU Directive.

The new driving licence is an important part of this Government’s ongoing commitment to road safety. It will help to eliminate licence fraud, ensure that motorists are properly trained and licensed, and keep unlicensed drivers off our roads. It’s more modern and more convenient. It’s also recognised throughout the EU, so Irish road users will enjoy the benefits and protections which drivers already have in other EU countries.

The RSA and the Motor Tax Offices have done sterling work in making the new application process as easy as possible for motorists. I want to thank the RSA for their hard work, and for meeting the EU deadline on schedule, without requiring additional Exchequer funding.

From September, licences will be delivered by the RSA under the banner of the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) at centres around the country.  This new network will ensure that the proposed locations will provide service to 98% of the population within a 50km radius. It will match, if not exceed, the reach currently achieved by the Motor Taxation Office network.

The new licence is available to those who have passed their driving test and are applying for their first driving licence; are applying for a learner permit; are renewing their learner permit or driving licence or are exchanging a foreign driving licence for an Irish driving licence. As all paper licences are valid for a maximum of 10 years, they will be replaced on a phased basis as they expire.