Written answer
An Garda Síochána
136. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding Gardaí gaining access to driving licence photographs from his driver file database as the National Vehicle and Driver File Bill 2026 is in the Dail. [66945/26]
Comment on this
142. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 291 of 16 June 2026, to provide a further update on the matter. [67015/26]
Comment on this
166. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding Gardaí gaining access to driving licence photographs from his driver file database as the National Vehicle and Driver File Bill is in the Dáil. [66944/26]
Comment on this
I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 142 and 166 together.
I can confirm that my Department has sought legal advice in relation to the inclusion of driving licence photographs and signatures in the NVDF data shared with An Garda Síochána. As the Deputy will appreciate, the photo is a particularly sensitive piece of personal data.
The Department will be guided by the legal advice in determining the position on the sharing of the data requested. My expectation is that the National Vehicle and Driver File Bill, once enacted, may facilitate the exchange of the photo, subject to the legal advice once received and considered, if further legislative certainty is required on this matter.