Brexit sees over 71,000 drivers change UK licence to Irish

According to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), just over 71,000 drivers have changed their UK licence over to an Irish version due to Brexit.

Speaking before an Oireachtas Transport Committee to discuss the waiting times for driving tests, Director of Driver Testing and Licensing at the RSA Declan Naughton said this number has “pretty much hit peak exchange”.

He said: “There was a number going around in 2019 that there was probably around 70,000 to 80,000 UK and Northern Ireland licence holders resident here, right now we’ve exchanged just over 71,000 and the numbers are falling in terms of intake, that would suggest we have pretty much hit peak exchange.”

The RSA recently announced that driving licences due to expire will be automatically extended due to the ongoing lockdown.

Those whose licence run out between March 1 and the end of May will have a new date of July, while licences which will expire between June and the end of August will have a new end date of September 30.

Letters will be sent to people who are due for renewal, Junior Transport Minister Hildegarde Naughten confirmed.

The RSA also said that essential workers could be waiting more than 20 weeks for a driving test.

RSA Chief Executive Sam Waide said there are 62,024 people waiting for a driving test with a further 30,720 people ineligible for a test because they have not completed their driving lessons, which are suspended under Level 5 restrictions.