Road Traffic Act 1961
Certificates of fitness.
34.—(1) In this section—
“the issuing authority” means the person who, in the case in question and in accordance with regulations made by the Minister, is the issuing authority for the purposes of this section;
“relevant aspects of his physical and mental condition” means, in relation to a person proposing to apply for a certificate of fitness, such aspects of his physical and mental condition as are declared by the Minister by regulations to be for the purposes of this section relevant aspects of a person’s physical and mental condition in the case of an application for that certificate of fitness.
(2) A person, other than a person to whom section 32 of this Act applies, may apply to the issuing authority for a certificate of fitness in the following cases:
(a) where he is disqualified for holding a driving licence until he produces a certificate of fitness,
(b) where under the regulations under this Act an application by him for a F98[Irish driving licence] is required to be accompanied by a certificate of fitness.
(3) A person who proposes to apply for a certificate of fitness shall, within the prescribed period prior to his application, cause himself to be examined by a registered medical practitioner and shall obtain from the practitioner a signed report in writing as to the relevant aspects of his physical and mental condition.
(4) Where—
(a) an application is duly made under this section to the issuing authority, and
(b) the appropriate fee is paid and the application is accompanied by the appropriate report referred to in subsection (3) of this section,
the issuing authority shall, after consideration of the application and report, either—
(i) refuse the application, or
(ii) issue a certificate (in this Act referred to as a certificate of fitness) certifying—
(I) in case the application is for a certificate of fitness to drive any mechanically propelled vehicle whatsoever and the issuing authority is satisfied that the applicant is fit to drive any mechanically propelled vehicle whatsoever—that the applicant is fit to drive any mechanically propelled vehicle whatsoever, or
(II) in any other case—that the applicant is fit to drive any specified class or classes of mechanically propelled vehicle, being a class or classes in respect of which a certificate of fitness to drive was applied for and which the issuing authority is satisfied that the applicant is fit to drive,
but, where the issuing authority so thinks proper, it may defer a decision under this subsection pending production by the applicant of a certificate of competency.
(5) (a) A person aggrieved by a decision under of this section or the deferring of such decision may appeal to a Justice of the District Court having jurisdiction in the place in which such person ordinarily resides, and the Justice may either refuse the appeal or give such direction to the issuing authority as he considers just, and the issuing authority shall comply with any such direction.
(b) A decision under this subsection of a Justice of the District Court shall be final and not appealable.
Annotations
Amendments:
F98
Substituted (1.06.2011) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (25/2010), s. 57(3), S.I. No. 255 of 2011.
Modifications (not altering text):
C46
Term “registered medical practitioner” construed (13.02.2008 and 3.07.2008) by Medical Practitioners Act 2007 (25/2007), ss. 2 and 108(1), S.I. Nos. 24 and 231 of 2008.
Interpretation.
2.— In this Act, except where the context otherwise requires— ...
“registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner whose name is entered in the register;
...
Construction of references to registered medical practitioner and Medical Council, etc.
108.— (1) Every reference to a registered medical practitioner contained in any enactment or any statutory instrument shall be construed as a reference to a registered medical practitioner within the meaning of section 2 .
...
C47
Issuing authority specified and powers of issuing authority modified (21.10.2006) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 537 of 2006), regs. 3(1) and 34.
Definitions.
3. (1) In these Regulations — ...
“Minister” means Minister for Transport;
...
Issuing authority and delegation of functions under section 34 of Act.
34. (1) The issuing authority for the purposes of section 34 of the Act is the Minister.
(2) The functions of the Minister as the issuing authority under section 34(4) of the Act are delegated to such officer or officers of the Minister as he or she specifies. Any such officer so specified shall, for the purpose of the performance of such functions, be known as an issuing officer.
C48
Application of section extended (21.10.2006) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I No. 537 of 2006), reg. 16.
Application of certain provisions of Act to provisional licences.
16. Section 22(2), (4) and (5), sections 26 and 27, section 28(1), (3), (4) and (5) and sections 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 39 and 41 of the Act apply in relation to provisional licences as if a reference to a driving licence in any of those provisions were a reference to a provisional licence, except that —
(a) a consequential or ancillary disqualification order does not operate so as to disqualify a person for holding a provisional licence for a period after a specified period until he or she has produced to the appropriate licensing authority a certificate of competency,
(b) the application of section 22(5) of the Act to provisional licences does not operate so as to disqualify a person who holds a driving licence in respect of vehicles of a category or categories, for applying for a provisional licence in respect of that category or any of those categories for the purpose of learning to drive in order to pass a test where, by virtue of any provision of the Act, he or she is required to produce a certificate of competency, and
(c) where the holder of a provisional licence in respect of vehicles of a category for any period has been granted a certificate of competency in respect of that category, he or she shall not by virtue of the application of section 22(5) of the Act to provisional licences, be disqualified for applying for a driving licence in respect of that category for any period within the period for which the provisional licence has been granted.
Editorial Notes:
E363
A number of statutory instruments made pursuant to s. 42 of this Act were also made pursuant to this section. Where this occurred the relevant E-note in the annotations of s. 42 notes that the statutory instrument is also made pursuant to s. 34. These statutory instruments are not separately listed under this section.
E364
Power pursuant to section exercised (19.01.2013) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 483 of 2011).
E365
Form for medical report under section and period for purposes of subs. (3) prescribed (21.10.2006) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 537 of 2006), reg. 37 and sch. 1 forms D.501, D.502 D.503, as last amended (29.10.2013) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 420 of 2013), reg. 3(o)(i).
E366
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (15.11.1999) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 352 of 1999), art. 19; revoked and superseded (21.10.2006) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 537 of 2006), reg. 5(a), and reg. 16 as per above C-note.
E367
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (2.12.1994) by Road Traffic Act 1994 (7/1994), s. 29(1), S.I. No. 350 of 1994; repealed (30.10.2007) by Road Traffic Act 2006 (23/2006), s. 11(4), S.I. No. 718 of 2007.
E368
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (13.11.1989) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1989 (S.I. No. 285 of 1989), art. 18; revoked and superseded (15.11.1999) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 352 of 1999), art. 57 and sch. 8, and art. 19 as per above E-note.
E369
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (1.10.1984) by European Communities (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1984 (S.I. No. 234 of 1984), reg. 5; revoked (15.11.1999) by European Communities (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 351 of 1999), reg. 3 and superseded (15.11.1999) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 352 of 1999), art. 19 as per above E-note.
E370
Previous affecting provision: application of section extended (18.03.1964) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1964 (S.I. No. 29 of 1964), reg. 18; revoked (13.11.1989) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1989 (S.I. No. 285 of 1989), reg. 60 and sch. 7.
E371
Previous affecting provision: issuing authority specified and powers of issuing authority modified (18.03.1964) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1964 (S.I. No. 29 of 1964), regs. 34 and 35; revoked (13.11.1989) by Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1989 (S.I. No. 285 of 1989), reg. 60 and sch. 7.