Deputy Charlie McConalogue is calling for a National Driving Licence Service Centre for Inishowen.
Drivers on the peninsula are having to drive to Letterkenny to the NDLS centre there apply for or renew their licences.
Deputy McConalogue explained, “Since the new driving licence application was set up in 2013, motorists on the Inishowen peninsula have been driving to Letterkenny to apply for or renew their licences. While the NDLS system makes sense, there are only 34 centres in the country and counties like Donegal, which have a huge geographical spread, are at a major disadvantage”.
The locations of the National Driving Licence Service (NDLS) centres were decided on the basis that 95% of the population would be within 50km of a centre. The Road Safety Authority says this is in line with other comparable services such as the NCT and Driver Theory Test.
“There is an argument to be made for an NDLS centre in Inishowen as more than 50% of the population lives more than 50km from Letterkenny. In fact, residents in Carndonagh, Malin and Culdaff have to travel well over 60km to get to Letterkenny.
“I highlighted the need for an NDLS centre in Inishowen in a recent Parliamentary Question to the Transport Minister; however Minister Ross refused to take responsibility for this issue and referred it to the Road Safety Authority.
“This is a State service and the responsibility in my opinion ultimately lies with Minister Ross. The Public Services Centre in Carndonagh offers excellent facilities in the peninsula and would make an ideal location for a National Driving Licence Service centre. I will continue to press the Minister on this important issue”, concluded Deputy McConalogue.
