185. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Transport whether the requirement for a medical fitness certificate for professional driving licence applicants to be completed by a medical practitioner practising in the State arises from primary legislation, statutory regulations, EU requirements, departmental policy or administrative practice; and whether the requirement applies equally to medical certificates issued by registered practitioners in Northern Ireland. [64231/26]

186. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Transport if he will clarify whether a medical certificate completed by a registered GP in Northern Ireland, including an NHS GP, is legally acceptable for the purposes of applying for a bus driver licence in the State; and if not, the legislative or regulatory basis for requiring the certificate to be completed by a GP practising under the HSE. [64230/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.

As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that Irish driver licensing operates within a framework of EU law – the driver licensing legislation with which all Member States must comply – and the standards for testing drivers are set at EU level.

Under Article 7(1)(a) of EU Directive 2006/126/EC on driving licences, an application for a Group 2 driving licence, including categories C and D, must be supported by a completed medical report. This requirement has been transposed into Irish law through SI 537 of 2006, the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006, as amended.

Under Regulation 41, applicants for Group 2 driving licences are required to undergo a medical examination conducted by a registered medical practitioner. Regulation 3 defines a registered medical practitioner as a person whose name is entered in the General Register of Medical Practitioners. The General Register of Medical Practitioners is maintained by the Irish Medical Council.