Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 12th June, 2015.

I, PASCHAL DONOHOE, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 5(1) and 42 (inserted by section 10 of the Road Traffic Act 2006 (No. 23 of 2006)) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 (No. 24 of 1961) and section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 2006 (No. 23 of 2006) (as adapted by the Transport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 ( S.I. No. 141 of 2011 )), hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.

(2) These Regulations come into operation on 31st May, 2015.

2. The Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 ( S.I. No. 537 of 2006 ) are amended-

(a) in Regulation 6 (inserted by Regulation 2(b) of the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011 ( S.I. No. 483 of 2011 ) and as amended by Regulation 4(c) of the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 ( S.I. No. 6 of 2013 )), by substituting for the text in column (2) of the Table opposite "D" in column (1) the following:

"Motor vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of more than 8 passengers in addition to the driver; motor vehicles which may be driven with a category D licence may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass which does not exceed 750 kg.",

(b) in Regulation 10(2) (inserted by the European Union (Licensing of Drivers) (Validity of Licences) Regulations 2015 ( S.I. No. 176 of 2015 ))-

(i) in subparagraph (c), by substituting for clause (ii) the following:

"(ii)67 years of age or more, for the period of 3 years,", and

(ii) in subparagraph (d), by substituting for clause (ii) the following:

"(ii)67 years of age or more, for the period of 3 years,".

(c) in Regulation 12-

(i) by substituting, in paragraph (5) "Paragraph (4)(a)(i) to (iv)" for "Paragraph (3)(a)(i) to (iv)", and

(ii) by inserting after paragraph (7) (inserted by Regulation 3(c)(ii) of the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 ( S.I. No. 326 of 2014 )) the following:

"(8) Where an application is made to which paragraph (1F) applies, the requirement in paragraph (4)(a)(i) that the driving licence of the applicant shall accompany the application does not apply and instead the applicant, when he or she is issued with a further driving licence, shall submit the licence to the licensing authority.",

(d) in Regulation 17 by substituting for paragraph (2) the following:-

"(2) A learner permit shall be granted for a period of 2 years beginning on the day on which the permit is granted."

and

(e) in Regulation 20-

(i) by re-numbering paragraphs (1E) (where it is secondly mentioned) and (1F) (both inserted by Regulation 3(e) of the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 ( S.I. No. 326 of 2014 )) respectively, as paragraphs (1F) and (1G), and

(ii) by inserting after subparagraph (7) the following:

"(8) Where an application is made to which paragraph (1F) applies, the requirement in paragraph (5)(a)(ii) that the learner permit of the applicant shall accompany the application does not apply and instead the applicant, when he or she is issued with a further learner permit, shall submit the learner permit to the licensing authority.".

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

31 May 2015.

PASCHAL DONOHOE,

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations amend the driver licensing regulations in order to provide that drivers renewing a licence or learner permit do not have to surrender their existing licence or permit with their application for renewal, but instead must surrender it on receipt of the new licence/permit. The Regulations also make a number of minor amendments.