Seán Canney
Galway East · Independent · Ireland
“To obtain an operational authorisation, an operator must provide a comprehensive safety portfolio, which includes assessing and addressing both ground and air risks with appropriate mitigations. Manna Air Delivery holds such an authorisation from the IAA.”
“The national policy framework for UAS, agreed by the Government, was published by the Minister in August last year. The policy framework aims to guide high-level strategic planning and development in the drone sector in Ireland through support, growth and innovation, while ensuring safe and secure operations.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. I note Manna Air Delivery's recent statement that it will for now cease deliveries by drone in Ireland.”
“It proposes 16 actions under three main areas: the use of airspace and planning; compliance and enforcement; and enterprise and innovation. Actions in the policy framework include the establishment of a national working group on UAS geographical zones to develop transparent processes and procedures for the designation of these zones; the…”
“This new route provides passengers travelling from Charleville to Cork with a morning service at 7.05 a.m. and a service from Cork to Charleville at 5.45 p.m., Monday to Friday. This new route is part of the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan, a major public transport initiative.”
“I thank the Deputy. I reassure him again that the Department, its Minister, Deputy O’Brien, my fellow Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are fully committed to delivering a more sustainable, inclusive and accessible transport system for the benefit of current and future generations.”
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“I will bring the Deputy's situation and this question back to him to see what can be done. I agree that a small sum of money for towns and villages creates opportunities to build houses for people who can live in their own areas, enhance their villages and parishes and keep the community alive. It allows developers to make houses available for young people who want to live in their own areas. It is a question of getting money to develop the treatment plants that are needed. There is no mystery about them; we just need to get them done. I concur with the Deputy's feelings and will bring them back to the Minister.”
“I can feel the Deputy's frustration with this particular issue. As I said, for the first time ever we have put money into Uisce Éireann, which is ring-fenced money, for it to develop new infrastructure. Since its inception, Uisce Éireann has spent a lot of its time trying to firefight existing infrastructure which was not functioning properly. In fairness, it did not get the proper money to do the job it was set up to do. That is an inherent problem and a legacy we have. With the agreement of Uisce Éireann, we also have allowed developer-led infrastructure to be used. The developer can build a treatment plant to the specifications of Uisce Éireann, which will take it over and manage it thereafter. That is another option that is coming up. I do not have timelines for when the reviews will happen from the Minister.”
“Uisce Éireann will continue to engage with Cork County Council under the scheme and there may be opportunities for the council to reprioritise the scheme relative to other sites on this list under the capital investment plan for 2025 to 2029. Additional money of €2 billion has been ring-fenced for new infrastructure and it is important that Cork County Council re-engages with Uisce Éireann at this stage to see how it can bring this project forward, following on from what the Deputy has described to me.”
“Local authorities were asked to review the ranking of candidate settlements in their area in 2023. Cork County Council has Carrignavar currently ranked at no.13 in the list of candidate settlements. Schemes ranked 1 to 7 in Cork are currently progressing under the programme. Due to the scale of projects already confirmed in Cork and nationally and Carrignavar’s relative position on the priority list, a project to expand capacity at the local treatment plant has not been included in the 2025 to 2029 plan. However, €2 billion has been set aside under the national development plan to support housing delivery, which includes €300 million for the enhancement of that small towns and villages growth programme.”
“The scale of the remedial work necessary in our water and wastewater systems will take a number years and investment cycles to fully resolve. The upgrade of the Carrignavar wastewater treatment plant will come under Uisce Éireann’s small towns and villages growth programme, which is a national programme to cater for growth in smaller towns and villages within existing Uisce Éireann infrastructure. This programme is delivered in partnership with local authorities and is aligned with the county development plans. Each local authority is responsible for prioritising candidate settlements for investment under the programme. Carrignavar was not included in Cork County Council’s list of prioritised sites for upgrade under the scheme for the 2020 to 2024 capital investment plan.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. In County Galway, we have 30 villages without any treatment plant, so I empathise with him. Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation. Neither I, nor the Minister, Deputy Browne, who offers his apologies as he cannot be here this evening for this question, have an operational function in the matter to which the Deputy refers. However, we have asked Uisce Éireann for an update on the Deputy's behalf. Uisce Éireann has made significant investments in upgrading wastewater treatment infrastructure across Cork since 2014. However, it is important to note that it is dealing with a legacy of underinvestment in water services and infrastructure across Ireland.”
“That is a different conversation from getting public transport up and running, but I cannot comment on a live planning application. As the Deputy said, it will be appealed it or whatever, but I do not know. I cannot comment on that particular thing and the question is about parking charges. I wondered what the background was to it but now I understand it. I sympathise with the community and I presume that justice will prevail.”
“I have it in my own constituency with wind farms. These wind farms are being imposed on communities in their own backyards. They are very imposing. Again, we do not know who owns them. Investors own them. Communities are preparing submissions to go into the local authority to make their cases. They are meeting in community halls to see how they will do this when they should be at home enjoying themselves with their families. That is the context of the overall issue. More public transport is definitely needed. The questions I have been answering, including from the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, in the past couple of weeks highlight that the public transport systems we have are not fulfilling the function they are supposed to be doing. We had it from another Deputy in Cork here tonight. We have deficiencies in the system.”
“I cannot comment on the particular situation. Now that I understand what has happened, planning permission has been given for this and it is still in the planning process. I cannot comment on that-----”
“In addition, a person who made a submission or observation on a planning application that a planning authority has decided to grant or refuse may subsequently appeal this decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála or may make a further submission in relation to an appeal of that decision. I do not know the exact detail of this case, but I understand there is a planning process going on. While that planning process is going on, the Minister cannot interfere in it. It has to go through its course. If that is the correct position, I will accept the Deputy's response.”
“It is a matter for the relevant planning authority to consider each application on a case-by-case basis and to decide whether to grant the permission, subject to or without conditions, or to refuse permission. Where an individual who has participated in the planning process, or is directly affected by a planning decision of a planning authority, they may lodge an appeal to the commission in accordance with section 37 of the 2000 Act. Furthermore, any person who has participated in the appeals process, or shows they have sufficient interest, may seek a judicial review. Public participation is a long established and key element in the substantive decision-making process under the planning Acts. It is open to any person to make a submission or observation.”
“All development proposals require planning permission unless they are specifically exempted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, or the supplementary Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. Where any person is unsure if planning permission is required, under section 5 of the 2000 Act they may seek a declaration from the relevant planning authority as to whether any particular case is or is not a development, or is or is not exempted development, within the meaning of the 2000 Act. When a person submits a planning application, irrespective of whether the proposed development is located in an urban or rural area, the relevant planning authority in making its decision shall have regard to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
“I understand there is a live planning case and therefore, as provided under section 30 of the Act of 2000, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage shall not exercise any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Coimisiún Pleanála is or may be concerned. This means that the Minister is explicitly prevented from interfering in such cases, which is of utmost importance to maintain the independence of the planning authority or the commission. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to comment on any individual case that may be subject to appeal or judicial review.”
“I thank the Deputy very much for raising this matter. I will give her the reply that I have been given, but, basically, my understanding is that in the context of the role of the Minister, this is a planning issue. I believe there is planning going on at the moment. I do not know the exact detail. While there is a planning application in the system, the role of the Minister is primarily to provide a policy and legislative framework under which the planning authorities, An Coimisiún Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator, OPR, perform their statutory planning functions.”
“Plans have been submitted to the RSA and responses have issued to the operators in three further cases. I take on board the point that some people might face a financial impediment in continuing. I will talk to the officials and see if I can get a reason that those operators must have a drive-through lane. These regulations were introduced in 2022. We are a long way down the road of implementing them. If we were to change them now, it would do a disservice to those who have already undertaken these investments. It is a double-edged sword. I will check that out. From reading these figures, it seems that many of the operators are in compliance with the standards or are in the process of complying with them. Of course, some have said they will not continue. I do not know if all of those decisions were made for financial reasons.”
“There are currently 147 authorised commercial vehicle roadworthiness test operators. I will list the expiry dates for their authorisations. Sixty will expire on or after 18 March 2034 and seven will expire between 18 March 2027 and 18 March 2034. Their premises will also comply. Sixty-nine expire on 18 March 2027 and 11 operators have informed the RSA that they will not continue to operate after that date. Of the 69 companies whose authorisations are expiring, 51 are at different stages of completing their upgrades. Seven have works completed, 19 are in the process of carrying out the works, 13 are seeking quotations and a further six have planning approvals. One more planning approval is with the Department. Plans have been approved in two cases but it is not yet confirmed when works will commence.”
“The RSA has also advised that the majority of operators whose authorisations expired in 2024 already meet the required standards and will be able to renew their authorisations for ten years to 2034. Others will have to decide whether to upgrade their premises in order to continue as authorised operators after March 2027. Overall, the changes will mean consistent standards in roadworthiness testing facilities for the Irish commercial fleet.”
“Among other things, the new regulations set out the minimum standards required for currently authorised testing facilities to renew their authorisation for the next ten-year period. They also delayed, for three years, those requirements for CVRT operators whose premises did not meet the new standards on expiry of their previous authorisation in March 2024 until March 2027. This three-year grace period, introduced because of Covid-19, gave authorised operators the opportunity to review the new standards and make informed decisions on whether to make the necessary investment to comply with them as well as sufficient time to carry out any upgrades. The RSA has informed the Department of Transport that the majority of CVRT operator authorisations issued under section 11 of the 2012 Act will expire in March 2027.”
“The need for existing CVRT premises to meet these standards has been discussed since 2013. In 2019, the operators were made aware their premises would need to meet the new standards, including drive-through lanes, to renew their authorisations in 2024. In 2022, new regulations, SI No. 475/2022 - Authorisation of Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test Operators and Testers (Amendment) Regulations 2022, amended SI No. 107 of 2013 to set out new standards for the authorisation of CVRT operators, including the requirement for drive-through lanes. The regulations supported revised requirements in the RSA's premises and equipment guidelines, with which CVRT operators must comply to obtain or renew an authorisation in accordance with the Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act 2012.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. Commercial vehicle roadworthiness testing, CVRT, in Ireland is largely based on the EU roadworthiness directive, which is Directive 2014/45/EU. Although the directive has not set specific standards, it requires the provision of modern, up-to-date testing facilities to ensure all tests are carried out in accordance with the directive. While as Minister of State I have responsibility for the legislation governing commercial vehicle testing, the Road Safety Authority has statutory responsibility for the operation and oversight of the system, including the authorisation of CVRT facilities and operators. The standards required for CVRT premises were set out by the Department of Transport in 2004 but implemented differently by the local authorities.”
“If you could have the manners to let me talk, please. It is just common courtesy. I gave that to you. What I would say to you is I meet Bus Éireann on a regular basis where issues arise and I can meet it on this, but I will not be goaded into it or bullied into it by you.”
“The timetable and the scheduling is being looked at and as I said to the Deputy, Bus Éireann and the NTA are meeting weekly to try to resolve some of these issues. I would say to the Deputy as well-----”
“I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. First, I accept and I said here that the service is not right. I have also said I and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, are not responsible for the day-to-day running of the service - we are responsible for providing the funding. If there are issues with the service we will get to the bottom of it. I know there have been issues with getting drivers and I appreciate the Deputy's frustration and that of the people in Cork. There is no point in having a public bus service if we are not able to deliver it. We will work to get it right, we will work to get the additional people in place, but there are also new routes that have to be put in to try to avoid the congestion and to put in BusConnects.”
“The new route provides peak-time services connectivity to Forthill, Kinsale College, Kinsale Community Hospital, Halfway, Ballinhassig, Wilton Shopping Centre, Cork University Hospital, Munster TU Campus and regional bus services. BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system providing better bus services across our cities, including in Cork. It is the largest investment in the bus system in the history of the State and is managed by the NTA. Planning for the implementation of the new bus network has commenced and it is expected that the new network will be implemented on a phased basis over the coming years subject to funding and resource availability.”
“Bus Éireann has advised that it has the necessary number of applicants within its recruitment pipeline to address the additional driver requirements outlined above. Its assessments factor in applicant attrition rates and mixtures of candidates with and without the D-category licence, as well as other relevant factors such as retirements, resignations and short-term absenteeism. I can also confirm that as part of the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan, the TFI Local Link route 255 from Kinsale to Cork west was recently launched in August 2025. This new route 255 operates four daily return services between Charles Fort and the west of Cork city from Monday to Sunday.”
“There are currently a number of candidates in the process of completing their driver school training and following this, Bus Éireann expects to be in a position to fully operate their existing timetabled services in late November. However, I understand that additional drivers are required in order for Bus Éireann to introduce the required timetable changes that would help in alleviating some of the issues regarding congestion and reliability issues seen on some routes. It is intended that there will be changes to the timetable along a number of routes on a phased basis as and when these drivers become available. A number of timetable fixes have been implemented on certain routes already.”
“That said, I would like to reassure the Deputy that the Government is strongly committed to providing all citizens with reliable and realistic sustainable mobility options and public transport plays a key role in the delivery of this goal. As the Deputy will be well aware, bus services in Cork city have, unfortunately, been experiencing significant reliability issues for a combination of reasons, including both driver availability issues and traffic congestion. The NTA and Bus Éireann are working together on the matter and are holding weekly meetings to review plans to rectify these issues. There has been an increase in recruitment efforts, which have included open days and a number of online campaigns.”
“I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien. From the outset, I would like to clarify that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport but neither the Minister nor his officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally rests with the National Transport Authority, NTA. The NTA works with the public transport operators, which deliver the services and have responsibility for day-to-day operational matters.”
“The Minister is particularly mindful of this, and the resource constraints inherent in progressing legislation, and we must prioritise accordingly. As such, I reiterate that we cannot guarantee support for the Bill on Committee Stage in the absence of clear and convincing arguments on its added value.”
“It is for precisely that reason that the Oireachtas has legislated for the range of protective measures I previously outlined, including harassment orders under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, barring, protection and safety orders under the Domestic Violence Act 2018, sex offender orders under the Sex Offenders Act 2001, and civil orders against relevant conduct under the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023. The power of the court to impose conditions on convicted sex offenders by means of post-release supervision orders is also an important tool in this regard. I am sure Deputy Carthy understands that we do not want to enact legislation that is not necessary, or which rehashes existing provisions on the Statute Book.”
“This piece of legislation contains a number of key measures in respect of sexual offences, including a publicly accessible domestic violence register of judgments. This will allow for any person who was convicted on indictment of specified offences, including murder, manslaughter or serious assault against an intimate partner or former intimate partner, to be named in a court judgment outlining the sentence imposed. The judgment will be published under a domestic violence register of judgments on the Courts Service website. I am sure that all Members of the House are agreed on the importance of combating domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and protecting victims.”
“In addition, Coco's Law - the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act - criminalises not only the distribution of, but also the threat to distribute, intimate images without consent, which is another heinous way we know abusers control victims. The Sex Offenders (Amendment) Act 2023, which was commenced last year, strengthens our already robust system for monitoring sex offenders. It reduces the notification requirements for sex offenders to three days. The Act also strengthens the management and monitoring of sex offenders in the community. The Minister intends to progress further reforms in this area as a priority. As Deputies know, in October the Minister secured Cabinet approval for the drafting of the criminal law (sexual offences, domestic violence and international instruments) Bill 2025.”
“On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, who is here beside me, I again thank Deputy Carthy for raising this important issue today on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. I also extend my appreciation to all of the other speakers who have contributed to the debate this evening. I reiterate the Government's commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. At its core, zero tolerance ensures that every victim and survivor who comes forward to report an incident is met with protection, respect, and effective support. Substantial legislative reforms have taken place in recent years, including in respect of assault and harassment offences, as well as the introduction of the new stand-alone offences of stalking and non-fatal strangulation.”
“This morning, I met the working group chaired by Minister Ken Skates in Wales in relation to Holyhead. A working group was set up which finalised its business this morning. Out of that, there will be a continuation of the work bilaterally between the UK, Wales and ourselves. We will continue to work to find more efficiencies and resilience on the Irish Sea between Ireland and the UK going forward. That is a plus that has come out of the disaster that happened in Holyhead last year.”
“It is important to point out that if tolling revenue did not exist, it would be necessary to use additional Exchequer funding to ensure that the national road network is maintained. Everyone in this House appreciates the challenges posed to the haulage sector in recent years. I acknowledge the resilience demonstrated by the sector and thank it for its contribution to the wider economy. While ongoing challenges such as driver shortages and decarbonisation cannot be resolved immediately, I am confident the strategies being implemented by the Department will have the desired effect in the medium to long term. Officials and I are actively engaging with the representative bodies. I urge them to continue to work constructively and collaboratively with officials over the lifetime of the road haulage strategy.”
“Ultimately, it is not within the remit of the Department or TII to introduce such a system, nor can the operators be obliged to change their practices. It is important to point out that toll revenues received by TII contribute to the funding of essential services on national primary and secondary roads as a whole. This includes general day-to day maintenance and operation of the network such as pavement repair and renewal, incident and emergency responses, winter gritting, safety barrier repair and renewal, energy supply and maintenance of route lighting. These essential services are necessary to ensure the national road network is managed and maintained. TII relies upon tolling revenue along with funding from the Exchequer to fund this work.”
“I will provide an update in relation to toll discounts, which were raised with me by road haulage representatives earlier this year. It is important to point out that the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for TII in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This includes day-to-day operations regarding national roads including toll roads and the establishment of a system of tolls. Officials in the Department have engaged with TII to consider whether the applicable discounts can be applied in a user-friendly manner, similar to how the discount is applied on the M50. I understand that the current system is cumbersome for hauliers and that an integrated system is preferable. An attempt was made in 2016 to implement an integrated system but it was unsuccessful.”
“Prior to its introduction, the Irish Government engaged with UK authorities seeking to exempt Northern Ireland from the charge because of the potential impact on cross-Border trade. The UK ultimately decided to maintain the levy with only very minor exemptions for Northern Ireland. The levy was suspended in August 2020 to support the haulage sector during the Covid-19 pandemic but was subsequently reinstated from 1 August 2023 with amendments to align the levy with the environmental performance of a vehicle in support of decarbonisation goals. Zero-emission HGVs are exempted from the charge. While I appreciate that the levy imposes additional costs on HGV operators, including Irish hauliers, its application is a matter for the UK authorities.”
“If goods are to be dropped off in Northern Ireland, regardless of whether this will happen as part of a journey through Northern Ireland or as a separate journey, the retrofit obligations apply. A similar situation arises for UK vehicles moving from or to Northern Ireland through Ireland; for example, goods arriving on a ferry to Dublin Port using the M1 to deliver the goods to Belfast. This arrangement will be in place until the end of June 2026. Officials will continue to engage with the EU in an effort to formalise this agreement with the UK before the temporary arrangement expires. Earlier this year, I was asked to consider engaging with UK officials in relation to the HGV road user levy. This levy was introduced in 2014 and applies to all HGVs driven on all UK roads, including in Northern Ireland.”
“I assure the House that the retrofit requirement does not apply to passenger vehicles if their only international commercial activity involves journeys to the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. Officials in the Department, in agreement with the European Commission, have also agreed that the retrofit obligation will not be enforced for freight vehicles that simply pass through Northern Ireland as part of a journey, provided certain conditions are met. The journey through Northern Ireland must be undertaken because it is the most efficient route from a starting point in Ireland to a destination in Ireland and goods cannot be dropped off or collected when passing through Northern Ireland.”
“The shortage of commercial drivers is well known to everyone in this House. We must support our drivers by ensuring they are afforded proper protections including adequate breaks and rest times. Smart tachographs allow for rigorous monitoring and enforcement of these entitlements. I have received requests for financial assistance to support the initial cost outlay associated with the retrofit obligations. The retrofit obligation was adopted in 2020 and came into effect in stages from the end of 2024, providing reasonable time for businesses to plan for the associated costs. The costs of retrofitting tachographs are not unique to Ireland and will be similarly experienced by transport operators across the EU and the UK including Northern Ireland.”
“Department officials are willing to engage further with representative bodies should they be in a position to submit the additional documentary evidence needed to assess the request for compensation. Deputies are no doubt aware that new requirements in relation to the use of smart tachographs were introduced under EU law in recent years. This includes the need to retrofit such devices in older commercial vehicles if the vehicle is engaged in international commercial activity. The requirements have so far only applied to heavy goods vehicles and passenger vehicles but will apply to vehicles over 2.5 tonnes from July 2026. These requirements are necessary to ensure the highest level of safety on our roads and to allow authorities to monitor compliance with transport-related legislation and drivers rest periods.”
“In January this year the Department received a request for financial compensation from industry representatives to support Irish hauliers impacted by the Holyhead Port closure at the end of 2024. The Department engaged constructively with the request over the intervening months, working with industry representatives and outlining the additional information required to assess the financial impacts of the closure on hauliers and to consider whether financial support could be provided. While some information was provided to the Department, it did not provide the level of detail necessary to substantiate the evidence base for the request for support.”
“While recent years have been challenging for the haulage and road freight sector, the Department provided financial support to insulate operators from the sudden and severe spike in diesel prices following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022 and associated ongoing cost pressures faced by hauliers. Some €15.6 million was paid out by the Department in 2022 and 2023 to 3,085 and 2,828 operators, respectively, representing approximately 81% and 74% of the overall road haulage operators licensed in the State. The support scheme operated under the EU temporary crisis framework on state aid was adopted to address the economic impacts, in particular on energy prices, of the war in Ukraine.”
“While acknowledging that there is room for improvement in the process, it is also important that we do not lose sight of the fact that driver CPC is working well in the main and meets the requirements of EU legislation. Over 46,500 training days were delivered between January and September this year. There are 92 training organisations with 475 active trainers providing training at 220 training centres throughout the country. Private companies and trade representative bodies can apply to be approved as a driver training organisation which would allow them to arrange training to suit their individual needs.”
“The RSA is also examining the legislation to see where comparable training can count towards CPC requirements. For example, if a driver has a valid ADR certificate for the carriage of dangerous goods and has previously completed one full cycle of CPC training, they do not need to resit module 2. Over 600 drivers have engaged with the RSA to avail of this exemption with approximately 150 exemptions granted and 50 applications being processed. Officials in the Department will continue to engage with the RSA to consider best practice examples in other countries and whether there is scope for additional enhancements to training.”
“Bus and truck drivers are obliged to complete modules 1 to 4, plus either module 5 or module 6 if only a single licence is held. If a driver holds both a bus and a truck licence, they must complete modules 5 and 6. It is critical that drivers maintain their CPC to ensure road safety. This is something we cannot compromise on. However, I have heard from stakeholders that the training material would benefit from review and updating. I am pleased to inform the House that an RSA-chaired review group reviews the CPC modules on an ongoing basis. Relevant stakeholders, including sector representatives, are invited to participate. The review of module 1 was recently completed and updated training material will be ready for roll-out to trainers in the coming weeks. A review of module 4 will begin early next year.”
“This year, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has agreed to no longer verify driving licences as part of the work permit application. This is a welcome development that will reduce processing times. Work is ongoing to introduce a single permit application portal but this is a medium-term action as IT developments are required. My Department is also engaging with the Road Safety Authority on driver CPC training. Professional drivers are required under law to maintain their driver CPC by completing 35 hours of training over a period of five years. The RSA recommends completing one module per year to meet the 35-hour requirement. There are six modules in total, with each module taking seven hours to complete.”
“We currently have agreements with Australia, Georgia, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Agreements with Moldova, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are at various stages of development. Ukrainian drivers who are resident in Ireland on a temporary basis under the temporary protection directive can exchange their licence and work in Ireland once they have completed driver certificate of professional competence, CPC, training. We need to do more to make the process of recruitment from abroad easier to understand and as efficient as possible. Officials in my Department are working across Departments to identify areas for improvement and to eliminate duplication where possible.”
“New training and educational opportunities developed in recent years include the transport operations and commercial driver apprenticeship scheme, the logistics and distribution one-year traineeship and the seven-month professional HGV training programme. The logistics and supply chain skills group has been working collaboratively to address the immediate driver shortage. This has resulted in several positive actions, including the removal of the quota for employment permits for HGV drivers from outside the EU-EEA. Almost 1,400 work permits have been issued to HGV drivers by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment since 2023. My Department is working to increase the number of licence exchange agreements with non-EEA countries.”