Just 69 of 315 disqualified learner drivers in Cork handed over permit

Of 315 people in Cork who were ordered to hand over their learner permit after a disqualification last year, only 69 surrendered their licences.

The figures were revealed in the Dáil in response to a parliamentary question.

Of 209 Cork drivers who received a court disqualification last year, only eight people surrendered their licence, just 3.8%.

In contrast, 55 of 98 people who had their licences disqualified because of penalty points in 2023 surrendered the licence, as well as six of eight disqualified as a fixed penalty.

In 2024, so far, 14 Cork people have been ordered to surrender their learner permit, and none of these have done so yet, though Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers clarified in the Dáil, “It should be noted that for disqualifications issued in 2024, the licence holder is given 14 days in which to surrender the licence/permit from commencement of the disqualification.

“The numbers reflected in these tables are disqualifications/surrenders notified as of 07/02/2024 and should be considered as highly provisional at this point in time.”

The figures were released in response to Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy, who had asked the minister for transport for details on the number of learner-permit holders disqualified in 2023 and in 2024.

Releasing the figures, Mr Chambers said that a notification of disqualification is issued by the Courts Service for drivers convicted of a court disqualification and that the notification includes the requirement to surrender the driving licence or learner permit to the NDLS (National Driver Licence Service) within 14 days of commencement of disqualification.

A notification of disqualification on penalty points and a fixed penalty drink-driving disqualification is issued by the Department of Transport and includes the same requirement.

He added: 

“An Garda Síochána have access to data on the National Vehicle Driver File (NVDF) as part of their mobility strategy and, therefore, can detect and prosecute a driver who continues to drive while disqualified. This is the case whether or not a licence has been surrendered.”

Further figures provided to The Echo by the RSA showed that, in total, 11,230 people in Ireland were ordered to surrender their licence in 2003, and just 1,900 did, with a further 4,071 not having a licence to surrender.