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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 1

Written Answers. - Penalty Points System.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

561 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding the operation of the penalty points scheme; and the number of drivers who have received penalty points. [11623/03]

Penalty points for speeding have been operating since 31 October 2002. Penalty points are being applied to the driving licence records of those convicted of speeding offences, and to those who pay a fixed charge to the gardaí to prevent the instigation of court proceedings.

Preliminary indications from the Garda Síochána in respect of the operation of the system to date are that, with no reduction in enforcement efforts, there has been a significant drop in the number of detections for speeding offences. There was also a significant reduction in road deaths over that period. In the first six months of the operation of the system the number of road deaths was 143, compared with 211 road deaths in the period from November 2001 to April 2002.

The recording of convictions for offences is a matter for the Courts Service. In addition, the compilation of data relating to payments of fixed charges where the relevant notices are issued by the Garda Síochána is a matter for that force. Both those organisations transfer the appropriate data to the Department of the Environment and Local Government to facilitate its entry into the national driver file which is the responsibility of that Department. It is understood from the Department of the Environment and Local Government that 17,886 penalty point notices have issued as of 30 April 2003. A county by county breakdown of the penalty point notices follows for the Deputy's information.

Analysis of Penalty Points issued to 30 April 2003.

Number of Drivers

County

2PP

4PP

6PP

8PP

Total

Carlow

190

6

196

Cavan

187

3

190

Clare

338

2

340

Cork

1,891

35

4

1,930

Donegal

329

7

336

Galway

584

6

590

Kerry

412

6

418

Kildare

727

11

738

Kilkenny

373

5

378

Laois

291

7

298

Leitrim

87

87

Limerick County Council

400

8

1

409

Longford

110

2

112

Louth

260

3

263

Mayo

291

6

297

Meath

548

7

555

Monaghan

251

4

1

256

Offaly

292

5

297

Roscommon

231

5

236

Sligo

207

2

209

North Tipperary

221

2

223

South Tipperary

290

6

296

Waterford County Council

191

2

193

Westmeath

283

3

286

Wexford

586

9

595

Wicklow

505

12

517

Dublin City Council

4,785

79

2

1

4,867

Limerick City Council

126

1

127

Waterford City Council

164

1

165

No Driver Number

2,211

2,211

Total

17,361

245

8

1

17,886

Question No. 562 answered with Question No. 555.
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