A group of Irish American community leaders, together with supporters in Ireland, is calling on the Irish government to reach agreements with a number of U.S. States with regard to the issuing of Irish driver's licenses.
And the group, which is describing itself as a committee, has penned a letter to both Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin urging new arrangements for drivers on both sides of the Atlantic.
"We are writing to you as members of a group interested in the potential establishment of driver’s license reciprocity agreements between Ireland and the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, New York, Illinois. This proposal seeks to build on the existing framework of Ireland’s reciprocity agreements with other countries, including certain provinces in Canada," the letter states.
The committee is highlighting the "difficulty in exchanging U.S. licenses for Irish licenses."
It points out that some U.S. states have bilateral agreements with many European countries, but not with Ireland and that Ireland has bilateral agreements with 19 countries and states but none with individual U.S States.
The experience of former GAA president Larry McCarthy is highlighted by the committee
New York-based McCarthy, an experienced driver, was required to spend €870 on Irish driving lessons. He applied for an Irish driving test "months ago" and no date has yet been set for the test.
The committee points out that some U.S. states have agreements with countries like France and Germany while the Irish government is looking at reciprocal arrangements with countries such as North Macedonia, Moldova, Georgia, Israel, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The current situation can often have an adverse effect on Irish nationals returning from the U.S. to Ireland. They have U.S. driving licenses and once held an Irish license. But they are effectively treated as learner drivers.
U.S. license holders visiting Ireland as tourists can drive with those permits for up to a year. Irish license holders can drive in the U.S. for up to three months.
The letter to Harris and Martin continues in part: “This proposal seeks to build on the existing framework of Ireland’s reciprocity agreements with other countries, including certain provinces in Canada.
"Currently, the US has multiple states with established driver’s license exchange agreements with countries like Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
"For example, Massachusetts maintains agreements with Korea, Germany, France, and Taiwan, while Pennsylvania has agreements with Germany and France.
"We believe that a similar agreement between Ireland and the aforementioned US states would be mutually beneficial for both Ireland and the United States. We believe that with the support and cooperation of the Road Safety Authority and the Department of Foreign Affairs, we can develop a comprehensive reciprocity agreement that benefits both our nations."
Tánaiste Micheál Martin is also Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The committee points out that the license issue was considered in the 2018 "Indecon Economic Report on Addressing Challenges Faced by Returning Irish Emigrants." The report was presented to Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs.
"In terms of Irish emigrants, the most important country outside of the EU is the United States and the absence of a bilateral agreement with the US is a major issue," that report stated with regard to driver's license exchanges.
The report recommended waiving driving courses for drivers with previous Irish driving experience and with current overseas licenses, expanding bilateral driver license exchange programme and improving procedures to facilitate the issuing of driving licenses for Irish emigrants who are temporarily abroad.
One obstacle to a reciprocal arrangement is the view in Ireland that the Irish driving test is of a higher standard than equivalents in other countries, including the U.S. and its various states.
Even so, returning Irish who at one point in their lives passed an Irish driving test face the same hurdle again in attempting to secure a new Irish license, a permit that is also a European Union document.
And herein is the inbuilt contradiction. If an Irish test is so rigorous, why the need to do it again?
