TD calls for green card option for cross border drivers to be rejected
The EU has yet to decide whether northern motorists will require a 'green card' to drive in the Republic, while in the short term at least, the UK say that insurance discs for southern motorists will suffice when north of the border.
The issue was raised in a parliamentary question tabled by Meath TD Peadar Tóibín, as he sought clarity from the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan.
In his response, Minister Ryan explained that since Brexit, motorists from the UK, including the North, "no longer benefit from the provisions under which EU members are not subject to the general international requirement of proof of insurance, known as a Green Card in Europe, for travel within the Union."
He added that the position regarding UK-registered vehicles entering any part of the EU, including Ireland, is a matter for EU law.
"Under EU law, the European Commission may set a date from which the requirement for Green Cards from a specified Third Country (i.e. non-Member State) will be waived. The EU Commission has yet to make a decision on whether/when to waive the requirement for Green Cards for UK-registered vehicles entering the EU."
Minister Ryan assured that for Irish-registered vehicles entering the North, the displaying of an Irish insurance disc currently suffice for UK authorities.
"This means that Irish-registered vehicles will not require a Green Card on entering the UK, provided they display an insurance disc," said the leader of the Green Party. "As this is a matter of UK law, it is open to the UK to determine whether to continue with this arrangement in the longer term."
The Aontú leader Deputy Tóibín stressed the need for a prompt decision by the Commission on waiving the green card requirement for northern motorists seeking to drive in the Republic.
“I urge the Commission to act swiftly to rectify the disparate standard on the island of Ireland and to waive Green Card requirements for Northern motorists. Thousands of businesses and households are reliant on cross-border commerce on both sides of the border, and are already struggling with the additional red tape imposed by Brexit, waiving the Green Card requirement would go along way to supporting border communities and businesses. Failure to do so reinforces partition, and gifts hard Brexiteers the hard border they wanted by construction.”
He added: “I welcome the fact that motorists from the South of Ireland will not require a green card visa to drive in the North, however we cannot have a situation where there are disparate legal requirements across the 32 counties depending on what part of the country you live in. There should be no visa requirement for any of the people of Ireland to travel across their own country.”