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The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe T.D., today signed into law an agreement for mutual exchange of driving licences between Ireland and the Canadian province of Newfoundland & Labrador.

Under the agreement, holders of a full Irish driving licence who take up residence in Newfoundland & Labrador can exchange their licence for a Newfoundland & Labrador licence. Likewise, holders of Newfoundland & Labrador licences who take up residence in Ireland will be able to exchange their driving licences for an Irish licence. Applicants for exchange in both Ireland and Newfoundland & Labrador will therefore not need to take a driving test in order to exchange their driving licences. This will be of great benefit to citizens of both jurisdictions, both Irish residents in Newfoundland & Labrador and Newfoundland & Labrador residents in Ireland.

Speaking today Minister Donohoe said: ‘I am particularly pleased to be able to announce this agreement between Ireland and Newfoundland & Labrador. This is the third Canadian province with which we have reached an exchange arrangement on driver licences, and I hope to see others follow soon. Over a number of recent years, significant numbers of Irish people have moved to work in Canada, and I know that being able to exchange a driving licence can be of enormous benefit to them. This arrangement will also be welcomed by people from Newfoundland & Labrador living in Ireland who wish to exchange their licence for an Irish one.

This agreement follows on an exchange arrangement with Ontario which was launched in 2014 and with Manitoba which was launched in 2015. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Irish Embassy in Canada, as well as the authorities in Newfoundland & Labrador, for their collaboration in arriving at this agreement. Work is ongoing by the RSA, as Ireland’s national driver licensing body, with the authorities of the other Canadian provinces with a view to reaching similar agreements and I look forward to these agreements being progressed in the near future.”