Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Conway for taking the Chair while I ask this question and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, for coming to the Chamber to take this question. It is about an issue that affects many Irish emigrants who return home. Often their driver licences are out of date and they have to take the driver test again, even though they may have been driving for 20, 30 or 40 years. Not only does it cost them a lot of money but it is an inconvenience. It also affects many citizens of Canada, Australia and the US who want to come here to work but find we do not have reciprocal driver licence agreements with their state or provincial government. It is an economic issue that creates hardship and barriers for our citizens returning home from abroad after many years or, sometimes, after many decades. Anything we can do to make their lives easier is important. A reciprocal driver licence agreement between Ireland and some of the countries where many of our emigrants go could be of assistance to them there in getting their driver licence exchanged without having to go through various loopholes.In return, US, Canadian and Australian citizens who want to work here would be able to do likewise. It is a practical measure and it has been done in provinces in Canada. When we had the ambassador, H.E. Ray Bassett, there for a number of years from 2010 to 2016, he put this in place by personally pursuing this as an issue and he managed to succeed with it in a number of Canadian provinces. After he left office, it seemed to fade away. It would be a measure that would be of great benefit to Ireland but also to citizens from other countries coming to Ireland.