Drink driving conviction 21 years ago

Spent conviction offences

The following convictions become spent after 7 years as long as you have complied with the sentence or order imposed:

All convictions in the District Court for motoring offences except for convictions for dangerous driving which are limited to a single conviction

All convictions in the District Court for minor public order offences

A single conviction (other than a motoring or public order offence) in the District Court or Circuit Court which resulted in a term of prison term of 12 months or less (or a fine)

The Act does not apply to any conviction for a sexual offence or an offence which was tried in the Central Criminal Court. These offences cannot become spent convictions.

Disclosing a spent conviction

In general, you do not have to disclose a spent conviction when supplying information on past convictions.

You must disclose spent convictions in the following situations:

In a Garda interview following your arrest in connection with the investigation of an offence

When applying to enter, or remain in the State

When applying for Irish citizenship

In an application or during an investigation under Part 3 of the Central Bank Reform Act 2010

In court proceedings in the circumstances set out in Section 7 of the Act

On any insurance or assurance proposal or form, if you have been convicted of fraud, deceit or dishonesty when making a claim

Applying for certain types of licences. These licences include public service vehicle, private security, taxi and firearms licences

The Irish spent convictions legislation cannot be used if you are required to disclose information about your criminal convictions to another state. You are subject to that country’s laws and may have to disclose such convictions.

Employment

In general, you do not have to disclose a spent conviction when you are looking for employment. However, you have to disclose any spent convictions if you are applying to work for certain bodies, such as:

The Garda Síochána

The Courts Service

Some Government departments

The list of bodies that you must disclose spent convictions to is given in Schedule 2 of the Act.

The non-disclosure regime under the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016 does not apply to employment relating to children or vulnerable adults. However, applicants for these roles must be Garda vetted and has its own non-disclosure regime.