Today marks the release of a report commissioned by the Irish-US Driver’s Licence Campaign on the lack of a reciprocal driving license agreement between Ireland and the USA.
Inability to exchange driving licences impacts thousands of returning Irish citizens every year. They, along with US citizens moving to Ireland face an unnecessarily burdensome process to get an Irish driving licence, including mandatory lessons and a driving test. This creates a significant financial burden and impacts their ability to travel to work and to live their lives.
Addressed to the Irish Government, the Minister for Transport and the Road Safety Authority the report calls for urgent review and action on this issue.
Key recommendations are to:
- Prioritise License Exchange Agreements with US states that already have reciprocal exchange agreements with other EU countries.
- Via amendment to Statutory Instrument, allow for unilateral as well as reciprocal foreign license recognition, as is the case in other EU countries.
- Via amendment to Statutory Instrument, allow for reinstatement of Irish driving licenses that have been expired for more than 10 years if the person holds a current license from another country.
Speaking on the release of the report, Sarah Owen, Project Leader with Crosscare Irish Diaspora Support Project said:
“As members of the Irish-US Driver’s Licence Campaign committee, Crosscare Irish Diaspora Support Project sees first-hand how the lack of license reciprocity can act as a barrier to return and a challenge to re-integration for Irish citizens coming home from the USA. We support the findings and recommendations of the report and look forward to positive engagement to address this issue for the thousands of drivers and families impacted.”
The report launch reception will take place at Buswells Hotel in Dublin on Tuesday 28 April, following the presentation of the report in the Oireachtas AV room at 4:30pm.
Read the Report
Learn More and Stay Connected
The Irish-US Driver’s Licence Campaign committee is a dedicated group of individuals and organizations from both the United States and Ireland, united by a shared commitment to serving the Global Irish community.
To learn more about the committee’s work, visit www.irishlicenseexchange.com where you can sign up for the newsletter and stay informed about the progress of the campaign. You can also show your support by following the campaign on LinkedIn.
