Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 14th April, 2020.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 3 of the European Communities Act 1972 (No. 27 of 1972) for the purpose of giving further effect to Article 7(1) of Directive No. 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006¹ and to Directive No. 2003/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2003² , hereby makes the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as European Communities (Driving Theoretical Tests) (Extension of Period of Validity of Theory Test Certificates) Regulations 2020.

2. In these Regulations -

“Regulations of 2003” means the European Communities (Driving Theoretical Tests) Regulations 2003 ( S.I. No. 52 of 2003 );

“theory test certificate” has the same meaning as it has in the Regulations of 2003.

3. Notwithstanding Regulation 6(2) of, and the Schedule to, the Regulations of 2003, a theory test certificate issued during the period beginning on 1 March 2018 and ending on 30 June 2018 is valid for a period of 2 years and 4 months from the date of issue.

4. The Regulations of 2003 are amended by the substitution of “within the previous 2 years and 4 months” for “within the previous 2 years” in -

(a) clauses (i) and (ii) of Regulation 4(4)(f) (inserted by Regulation 3(d) of the European Communities (Driving Theoretical Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 ( S.I. No. 486 of 2014 ), and

(b) Column (2) of the Table to Regulation 5(4) (inserted by Regulation 3(e) of the European Communities (Driving Theoretical Tests) (Amendment) Regulations 2014) in both places where it occurs.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport,

9 April, 2020.

SHANE ROSS,

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations amend the European Communities (Driving Theoretical Tests) Regulations 2003 ( S.I. No. 52 of 2003 ) to provide that a theory test certificate issued during the period beginning on 1 March 2018 and ending on 30 June 2018 is valid for a period of 2 years and 4 months from the date of issue.

1 OJ No. L 403, 30.12.2006 p. 18

2 OJ No. L 226, 10.9.2003, p. 4