New Learner Permit Rules: Test Needed for Third or Fourth Permit, No Fifth Permit
From 1 November, learner drivers can renew for a third or fourth time only if they have taken a driving test in the past two years. There is no longer a fifth permit, and the medical exemption has gone.
By the Monaghan Brief staff·Edited by Seamus McKenna·Published · 2 min read
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Drumlins near the Cavan-Monaghan border. Archive location photograph; not a photo of the events in this story. Eric Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and colour-graded; cropped in layout.
New rules for learner permits came into force on 1 November. Learner drivers in Monaghan and across the country who want a third or fourth permit must now have taken a driving test in the previous two years.
What has changed
Third and fourth permits: available only if you have taken a driving test in the previous two years.
Fourth permit: valid for one year only.
No fifth permit: fifth renewals have been abolished. RTÉ reports that after seven years, drivers have to start the learning-to-drive process again.
Medical exemption removed: RTÉ reports that there is no longer an exemption for medical reasons when renewing.
Gap of two years: anyone who has been without a permit for two years before applying again is treated as a first-time applicant.
Already past a fourth renewal: RTÉ reports that drivers in this position still have the life of their current permit to take a test.
The rules cover cars, tractors, work vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds.
The numbers
RTÉ reports Road Safety Authority figures showing about 21% of the 380,000 current learner permit holders are on their third or later renewal. About 38,000 of those have never taken a driving test, and 12,197 have held 11 or more permits.
The Department of Transport and the RSA accept that the rules will put more pressure on test centres. In September, only 14 of the 57 centres were at or under the 10-week target for waiting times. They expect fewer "no-show" tests from learners who book only to renew a permit.
Local view
Cavan driving instructor Matthew Keaney told Northern Sound's Joe Finnegan Show that the changes were needed to cut the number of people who hold several learner permits without trying the test.
Sources
This article is an original summary based on the following reporting. We encourage readers to visit the original sources for full coverage.
Co Monaghan is guaranteed at least one of 20 self-service breathalyser terminals the Road Safety Authority plans for hotels, pubs, golf clubs and sports venues, because it is among the six counties with the highest rates of people killed and seriously injured on the roads. The €1.5m tender has drawn criticism from a Social Democrats TD.
StreatSchool Ltd, founded by Monaghan man Seán McCleary, was one of six Bronze winners at the Stelios North-South Business Cooperation Awards at Castle Leslie. The company says it has helped set up more than 500 food businesses.
Public service unions say a second 24-hour national strike will go ahead on 12 November unless pay talks make a breakthrough. The work-to-rule is being stepped up. Fórsa's organiser at Monaghan County Council says the Government needs to listen to workers.
