Panic building claim over driving licence deadline due to Brexit

PANIC is starting to build over a move to restrict holders of UK driving licences from driving on Irish roads after April 12.

The problem has been highlighted by Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice.

He said a walk-in service is available at National Driving Licence Service centres for UK licence holders to secure Irish licences.

But the service is not operating as smoothly as hoped and he called for the deadline to be extended due to the long queues building up.

Transport Minister Shane Ross said the situation is an unprecedented one but did not accept Deputy Fitzmaurice's assertion of panic and long queues at NDLS centres.

He stated that four people were turned away at the Castlebar centre earlier this week and the figures for refusals were similarly small at other centres throughout the country.