An agreement has been signed to allow for mutual exchange of driving licences between Ireland and Ontario, Canada. 

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar said this will be a huge benefit to the thousands of Irish citizens living and working there, as well as to people from Ontario now living and working in Ireland.

The agreement will allow Irish people working in Ontario to exchange their Irish driving licences for Ontario licences, rather than having to register as learner drivers.

The agreement will now be counter-signed in Ontario and given effect through regulations to be brought in within the next fortnight.

Ontario is Canada's most populous province and includes the city of Toronto. It also has the largest number of Irish residents of any Canadian province.

"I'm very pleased we have reached this agreement with Ontario and which has been sought for some time by Irish people living in the Province" Minister Varadkar said.

"When I asked the RSA to open discussions on exchange arrangements with the Canadian provinces, I asked them to prioritise Ontario due to its high number of Irish residents. Now that we have reached agreement, it should be possible to reach speedy agreements with the other Canadian provinces" he added.