Monopoly on licences ‘may risk 4,000 jobs’

The decision to award a monopoly to a Swiss multi-national to produce new credit card style driving licences will have a devastating effect on photo ID professionals here and could put up to 4,000 jobs in jeopardy.

Driving licence production is being centralised and, from September, applicants will no longer be allowed to have their picture taken in a pharmacy or by a local photographer.

Instead, it must be captured by SGS, a Swiss-based multinational founded in France, that has been appointed by the RSA to operate the system in Ireland.