Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 2

Written Answers. - Road Traffic Offences.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

105 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport the progress made to date with regard to the implementation of the penalty points system; when the promised computer will be available to apply the system; the timetable for the application of the penalty points system to other offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13691/03]

John Deasy

Question:

122 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Transport when he intends to review the penalty points system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13715/03]

Mary Upton

Question:

156 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Transport if he has received a report from the Garda on the operation to date of the penalty points system; the number of motorists on whom penalty points have been imposed; if a substantial number of drivers who have been stopped for offences have not had the penalty points added to their licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13692/03]

Paul McGrath

Question:

159 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Transport the roll-out dates of the penalty points system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13716/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 122, 156 and 159 together.

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 Garda in order to prevent the instigation of court proceedings. Preliminary indications from the Garda Síochána in respect of the operation of the system to date show 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 to 211 in the period from November 2001 to April 2002.

The recording of convictions for offences is a matter for the Courts Service. 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 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 19,375 penalty point notices have issued as at 12 May 2003.

Penalty points are endorsed on the licence record held in the national driver file upon conviction for a speeding offence or upon payment of a fixed charge. The system operates in such a way that the offer of paying a fixed charge is always provided and a person has 56 days within which to pay the charge. If they opt not to pay, the case is taken to court. These periods are built into the system and ensure that every opportunity is afforded to the person to pay the fixed charge and avoid a court hearing. There is therefore an inevitable time lapse between the issue of the notices, the payment of the fixed charge and the notification of the endorsement of penalty points. The fact that the processing of notices by the Garda is operated on a manual basis is a further contributory factor to the time lapses. This may result in a number of cases where drivers have been detected, but the points have yet to be endorsed on the licence record.

I propose to introduce penalty points for driving without insurance with effect from 1 June 2003. I am also consulting with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda for the purpose of applying the system to seat belt offences committed by drivers. The extension of the operation of the penalty points system to all of the offences listed in the First Schedule of the Act will be pursued with a view to applying the penalty points system fully by mid-2004, when the necessary Garda computer system should be ready.