640. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the provisions in place to expedite the issuing of replacement driving licences for returning emigrants who require their licences for work. [64078/26]

As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that the exchange of foreign licences is managed through the National Driver Licence Service, the provision of which is delegated under national legislation to the Road Safety Authority.

There are various factors which affect the time it takes to process licence exchange applications. For example, the applicant may need to submit outstanding information, such as a medical or eyesight report, or the physical driving licence itself in the case of an online application. I have therefore referred your query regarding the licence exchange process to the Authority for direct reply. Please contact my office if a response is not provided within 10 working days.

The most common reason for delays is the awaiting of verification of the driving licence from the other licensing authority. At times a response is received very quickly but there can be delays. However, it is vital, in the interests of the safety of Irish road users, that the validity of a driving licence presented for exchange can be verified.

With regards to the renewal of Irish licences by returning emigrants, Irish licences are normally issued for a 10-year period. A licence may be renewed at any time up to ten years after expiry. This effectively gives someone 20 years from the day their licence is issued to the date it expires to renew it. This limit is to ensure that a driver has not lost driving competency in the intervening period.