Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 Feb 1994

Vol. 438 No. 3

Written Answers. - Vehicle Safety Belts.

Austin Currie

Question:

30 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Justice the reason statistics on the number of convictions for failure to wear safety belts in vehicles for each year since the introduction of this requirement are not compiled in a way which would make this information available without the expenditure of an unwarranted amount of Garda time and resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn)

In deciding how, and in what detail, statistical information should be compiled, the Garda, like all other organisations, take account of the likely value of the information, how best it should be presented and the amount of time it would take to compile.

The Deputy will be glad to hear that I have been informed by the Garda that, in evaluating the way in which crime statistics are compiled and presented, they have decided that statistics relating to prosecutions for failing to wear a seat belt will be recorded under a specific heading in the commissioner's annual report for 1993 and thereafter.