Driver Licences
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-21
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Noel Grealish (IND), Galway West

I thank Senator Duffy for raising this Commencement matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney. People resident in Ireland must have a valid Irish or other EU licence to drive here.
A resident with an exchangeable licence may apply to exchange it for an Irish licence in all categories on that licence covered by the relevant exchange agreement.
Ireland does not have driving licence exchange agreements with any countries in the Middle East. Entering a driving licence exchange agreement with a country outside the EU is not a straightforward matter, and reaching them is not a matter of political will. The core principle when reaching an agreement with another jurisdiction is to ensure the continued safety of Irish road users. Should an individual return to the State temporarily, they may be considered a visitor rather than a resident. Under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, visitors from contracting states who hold a valid licence can drive on each other's roads for up to a year when visiting. Should an individual wish to take up residence in Ireland, they must obtain an Irish licence in order to drive here. However, a person with a full but non-exchangeable licence can avail of a shorter learning-to-drive process, namely six essential driver training lessons instead of 12 and no minimum period of six months before taking a driving test. Should the individual have passed an Irish driving test and acquired an Irish licence prior to moving to the Middle East, it should be noted that, under the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006, as amended, someone who is resident in Ireland may apply to renew their Irish licence within ten years of it expiring. Situations can vary and some licenses may be issued for a shorter period in certain circumstances, such as on health grounds. However, this effectively gives a window of 20 years from the day an Irish licence is issued to the date it must be renewed.
The Road Traffic (Recognition of Foreign Driving Licences) (Ukraine) Order 2022, which came into law on 22 April 2022, allowed Ukrainians admitted to Ireland under the EU's temporary protection directive to exchange their Ukrainian licences for Irish licences. This was an exceptional measure taken in response to the immediate and extraordinary humanitarian crisis arising from the conflict in Ukraine pending an EU-wide response to this issue. These licences were only valid for 12 months and were an interim measure prior to the introduction in July 2022 of EU-wide recognition of Ukrainian licences held by people given temporary protection under the directive for the duration of that protection.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-21