I propose to take Questions Nos. 571 and 572 together.
The National Driver File, which includes penalty point data, is held and administered by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. An Garda Síochána are supplied with an electronic extract from the National Driver File by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on a weekly basis. The extract from the National Driver File provides details in relation to each driving licence record such as the driving licence number and the driver name and address. This information is used for the processing of payments in respect of fixed charge notices and is available to An Garda Síochána via the PULSE system which is available on a 24 x 7 basis.
Details of payments received by An Garda Síochána in respect of fixed charge penalty point offences are forwarded on a daily basis in printout form to SWS, a third party engaged by the Department of Transport. SWS in turn forward the data in electronic form to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the purpose of applying penalty points to the driver licence record. This is a transition arrangement agreed with both parties until such time as all payments are made via An Post and the remaining transactions from the manual system are processed. After the transition period, the information will be transmitted in electronic form direct to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Garda authorities inform me that this is planned to take place within a number of weeks.
There is no requirement in current Road Traffic Legislation for a Garda to be aware of previous penalty point records when detecting an offence. However, I am informed by the Garda Authorities that discussions are taking place between An Garda Síochána and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government with a view to providing data in electronic form on persons who have been disqualified.
