Increasing the age at which someone should be allowed to drive a tractor should be maintained at 16 years of age, the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI Ireland) has said.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is currently reviewing the legal age limit of tractor drivers.

However, the FCI has said that increasing the age limit is not the right approach to take.

“It is important to consider the broader European context,” FCI managing director, Ann Gleeson Hanrahan, said, “where 16 is the standard minimum age for acquiring a tractor driving licence. The FCI believes that the current minimum age of 16 should be maintained.”

The FCI is advocating for the development of a specialised training programme tailored to modern tractors and implements available in today’s market.

“The core issue is not the age of the driver but their skills and competence,” she said.

“Addressing this through targeted training will ensure the safe and effective operation of agricultural machinery.”

The RSA issued 3,774 category W (tractor) licences in 2024.

The majority of these (3,700) were provisional licences, with the remaining 74 in the form of full licences.

Some 3,653 licences were issued to drivers under the age of 20, while another 121 licences were issued to recipients over 25.

Currently, the law states that a person cannot drive a tractor in a public place unless they are at least 16 years of age and hold a learner permit or a full category W driving licence.