Some 4,685 people in Ireland are driving on learner permits more than a quarter of a century after they were issued with them.

In total, there are currently 277,000 people with learner permits but most of them have had them for far less than 26 years.

Leo Leigho from the Irish Road Victims Association and Senator Gerard Craughwell joined The Hard Shoulder to discuss what cna be done.

Mr Leigho said he is "not really" surprised by the figures as the issue "is not a new thing".

"The government needs to start cracking down on it."

Garda presence

The authorities are not taking the issue seriously enough, according to Mr Leigho.

"You can't tell me those 4,500 people have been driving around for 25 years with an accompanying driver."

"They've been driving on their own and they're not being caught so there's not enough Gardaí on the streets to catch them", he said.

Mr Leigho believes Gardaí need to ask people to show their license more when stopped.

"The rules are all there but the enforcement isn't there."

"I can't recall when I was last asked to produce a driver's license."

Independent Senator Craughwell believes "we have a serious problem concernign how seriously we take the requirement to have a driving license".

"I can't recall when I was last asked to produce a driver's license."

"We do have strong legislation where the car can be seized if the driver is driving without a license or is infringing the law in some way."

'Stricter punishments'

According to Mr Leigho, stricter punishments are "the only way people are going to observe the law".

Senator Craughwell believes that those found driving unaccompanied with a learner's permit should face "an automatic car impoundment straight away", he said.

A "respectable fine" of approximately €1000 to release the car "would put a stop to it very quickly".

Under the law currently, learner drivers are not allowed to apply for a third learner permit unless they have recently done a driving test or have one booked.

Listen back to the full conversation here.

Main image shows a learner driver adding 'L' plates to a car. Picture by: True Images/Alamy