The new licence is a result of a European initiative to introduce new licences by the start of 2013. The main purpose of which is to police motoring offences uniformly across Europe. While each country will, for now at least, set their own endorsement and penalty point schemes, driving bans will be recognised across all member states.
The new cards, set to replace the flimsy paper version, will retain a photograph of the driver, but the computer chip allows storing of much more information. Along with the driver's name, address and date of birth, the licence type, penalty points and any restrictions (such as a requirement to wear glasses) may be held on the licence. Gardaí will be issued with new equipment to read the information from the licence, allowing much more accurate, and quick, roadside checks. This should ease the task of checking foreign licences too.
Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, confirmed that the new licence should cost between €25 and €30 (the current 10-year licence is €25) and that drivers will not be forced to change to the new format until their current licence expires.
In a bid to reduce costs to the government, it is likely that a single service provider will be sought to replace the current system of licence issuing by local authorities.
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