Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 1

Written Answers. - Penalty Points System.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

692 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of fines issued to date in the penalty points scheme; the number of fines which have been paid; the number of prosecution notices issued; and the timescale for the provision of the full computer system to support this scheme. [11623/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

The Garda authorities have supplied me with the following information in relation to the operation of the penalty points system for speeding offences in the period 31 October 2002 to 14 April 2003.

Fixed Charge Notices Issued	44,100
Notices Paid	26,279
Summonses applied for	1,629

It should be noted that at any given time there are detections in respect of which fixed charge notices have not yet issued.

As the Deputy will be aware from my reply of 15 April 2003, a contract for the development of the computerised fixed charge processing system was finalised and signed with the successful tenderer in September 2002. The request for tender document targeted a 15-month timeframe from commencement of the project for the supplier to develop the system. This will be followed by a period during which the system will be piloted and monitored before being rolled out nationwide by the gardaí. It is expected that implementation of the system throughout the country will commence in the second quarter of 2004 with the progressive extension of the system to cater for all penalty point offences taking place as quickly as possible thereafter.