Ballina-based Dáil Deputy Dara Calleary has questioned why there is no driver’s licence centre in Ballina despite the fact that the headquarters of the Road Safety Authority is located in the town. The Fianna Fáil Deputy said it makes no sense that the RSA, which operates the new driver’s license system, does not allow drivers to get their licences from the Ballina facility.
“Under this new system, drivers applying for new or renewed licences must go to one of the 34 new National Driving Licence Service Centres. What people are struggling to understand is why one of these centres isn’t located at the RSA headquarters in Ballina,” explained Deputy Calleary. “The RSA has the office space here in Ballina, and yet drivers in this area are forced to travel to Castlebar or Bellmullet if they need a new or renewed licence. It is simply inefficient.
“Questions remain about how the 34 locations were chosen for the new National Driving Licence Service Centres,” he continued. “This is a State service and the responsibility ultimately lies with the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar. I have submitted a number of questions to him asking how these sites were chosen and why Ballina was left out, given that the RSA already has the space in the town.”
