Driving while holding a mobile phone is a Fixed Charge Penalty Offence and subject to ongoing enforcement by the Garda authorities. I am advised that members of An Garda Síochána carry out regular monitoring to detect breaches across the whole range of road traffic and transport legislation, including holding a mobile phone while driving.
The following table sets out the total number of Fixed Charge Notices issued by An Garda Síochána in the period 2010 to 31 March, 2013 for the offence of holding a mobile phone while driving. It should be noted that the figures provided are provisional, operational and liable to change.
Year
|
Number of Fixed Charge Notices issued
in respect of mobile phone offences
|
2013 (to 31 March, 2013 )
|
5,730
|
2012
|
30,806
|
2011
|
33,422
|
2010
|
34,635
|