Junior Minister for Transport, Deputy Hildegarde Naughten, has confirmed that the temporary Covid-19 pandemic downgrading of all National Driving Licence Service (NDLS ) offices across the country, including the local office in Athlone, has now been made permanent.
Appointments must now be made online and there is no walk-in service available.
“The walk-in service previously available was originally discontinued to ensure social distancing and compliance with occupational and public health requirements,” the Junior Minister informed the Dáil in recent days.
“The current NDLS contract, which was put in place with the front office service provider in 2021, no longer offers a walk-in service.
She said that an online service is available for all application types but stated that a “verified MyGovlD account, which requires a public services card (PSC ), is needed” to avail of the online service.
