The License Saga Continues

I went through the traumatic experience of giving up my New Zealand license in July, in preparation for my new job as a nanny.

I was told that I would receive my license in 7 weeks.

7 weeks came, 7 weeks went.

No license.

At 8 weeks, I called to politely inquire. 7 weeks? Oh no, who told you 7 weeks? No, no, it'll be at least 3 months.

I called 2 weeks later when it was well over 2 months. Oh we've started, but we haven't heard back from New Zealand yet.

What is to blame for this gross incompetence? Bureaucracy in general, or something more pernicious?
Brexit. This is because of Brexit. Every man and his dog is applying for an Irish license at the moment because if you live in Ireland and you are from the UK, if Brexit goes ahead, you will need an Irish license.

Today, I called again, after waiting patiently for 3.5 months now.
So, we haven't been getting much mail lately - any progress on my license - have you actually sent it?
Uh no. It will be at least a 3 month wait.
It's already been 3.5 months, nearly 4 months.
Oh.
Yea, so can you escalate it?
Yes, yea I can.
And how long will the escalation procedure take?
Oh no, we can't tell you time lines, that would be setting ourselves up to be incorrect.

Also while I'm here, I had a friend who had his license replaced and is now limited to only driving an automatic here. That's not going to happen to me right?
Oh yea, I'll just have a look, we have heard back from New Zealand and you have only been approved to drive an automatic
Right, but my New Zealand license allowed me to drive both (thinking to myself: oh, so you have heard back from NZ now - so what exactly is the hold up?)
Did you sit your test in a manual?
Yes.
Well you'll just need to prove that then.
How? What other way is there around this?
Oh well you could get an Irish Learner's permit and sit a test in a manual car
I went through this process to avoid that
Sorry that's the only way!

SO MUCH RAGE

Allegedly after you arrive in Ireland, your NZ license is valid for 1 year. Given the general incompetence of government agencies to talk to each other here, or themselves, I very much doubt that there would be anyone actually checking that on the off-chance that I got pulled over.

If all I was doing was hiring cars and driving about the place, this would not be an issue at all. However, my job is to drive small people around. Other people's small people. And I have to be on their insurance. These stupid hoops must be jumped through.

Argh.

That is all.