As the Deputy is aware the primary purpose of section 63 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 is to ensure that the driving licence number of individual offenders is recorded to enable the application of appropriate penalty points to the licence on conviction by the court.
The Court Service has confirmed that where an accused is summonsed to appear before a court in respect of a penalty point offence and is convicted of the offence, if a driving licence is not produced to the Court, the Court Registrar records on the Court Minute Book or on the summons that no driving licence was produced. Similarly if an accused is convicted by the Court in his/her absence, the fact that no driving licence was produced is recorded by the Court Registrar on the Court minute or on the summons before the court.
The Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had inquiries made and the table below provides details of the number of driving licence numbers recorded on the Courts Service Criminal Case Tracking System (CCTS) in 2014 and to date in 2015 by District Court Area. I am informed that the data is not readily available by county.
|
Court Area
|
No. of Persons convicted of Penalty Point and where Driver Number has been recorded
|
|
Abbeyfeale
|
1
|
|
Acaill
|
0
|
|
Ardee
|
16
|
|
Arklow
|
117
|
|
Athlone
|
242
|
|
Athy
|
13
|
|
Ballina
|
20
|
|
Bandon
|
92
|
|
Beal an Mhuirthead
|
4
|
|
Ballinasloe
|
66
|
|
Ballaghaderreen
|
10
|
|
Ballyshannon
|
9
|
|
Bantry
|
20
|
|
Bray
|
141
|
|
Buncrana
|
21
|
|
Cahirciveen
|
0
|
|
Carlow
|
60
|
|
Cashel
|
86
|
|
Cavan
|
60
|
|
Castlebar
|
88
|
|
Clifden
|
2
|
|
Clonmel
|
46
|
|
Clonakilty
|
21
|
|
Cork City
|
446
|
|
Carrick on Shannon
|
10
|
|
Carrickmacross
|
48
|
|
Carndonagh
|
25
|
|
Carrick On Suir
|
19
|
|
Castlerea
|
17
|
|
An Daingean
|
1
|
|
Dublin Metropolitan District
|
2,893
|
|
Dungarven
|
79
|
|
Donegal
|
9
|
|
Drogheda
|
59
|
|
Doire an Fheich
|
7
|
|
Dundalk
|
14
|
|
An Clochan Liath
|
10
|
|
Ennis
|
207
|
|
An Fal Carrach
|
12
|
|
Fermoy
|
44
|
|
Galway
|
205
|
|
Na Gleannta
|
8
|
|
Gort
|
14
|
|
Gorey
|
145
|
|
Kenmare
|
0
|
|
Killaloe
|
24
|
|
Cill Ronain
|
0
|
|
Kilcock
|
22
|
|
Kilkenny
|
63
|
|
Killorglin
|
2
|
|
Kilrush
|
29
|
|
Killarney
|
13
|
|
Letterkenny
|
82
|
|
Limerick
|
95
|
|
Lismore
|
10
|
|
Listowel
|
11
|
|
Longford
|
162
|
|
Loughrea
|
63
|
|
Macroom
|
94
|
|
Mallow
|
78
|
|
Manorhamilton
|
1
|
|
Midleton
|
115
|
|
Monaghan
|
33
|
|
Mullingar
|
199
|
|
Naas
|
155
|
|
Nenagh
|
21
|
|
Newcastle West
|
47
|
|
Navan
|
60
|
|
Portlaoise
|
156
|
|
Roscommon
|
60
|
|
Skibbereen
|
13
|
|
Sligo
|
22
|
|
Strokestown
|
18
|
|
Thurles
|
31
|
|
Tipperary
|
7
|
|
Tralee
|
12
|
|
Trim
|
9
|
|
Tuam
|
113
|
|
Tubbercurry
|
7
|
|
Tullamore
|
177
|
|
Virginia
|
79
|
|
Wexford
|
259
|
|
Wicklow
|
148
|
|
Westport
|
5
|
|
Waterford City
|
137
|
|
Youghal
|
20
|
As previously indicated where an accused is brought before a Court in relation to a penalty point offence, the driving licence number is collected by two methods. The first is where the details are provided by An Garda Síochána prior to submission of an application for a summons in respect of the offence.
Under the second method, the details are collected by the Court Registrar where a licence is produced to the Court at the hearing of the offence. It is not possible to differentiate between the two methods above to provide statistical data in relation to the number of driving licence numbers collected in a Court.
Where the driving licence number is provided by An Garda Síochána at the time of submitting an application for the issue of a summons or where the licence number is collected by the Court Registrar in court, the licence number is updated to the Courts Service computer system. Where the licence is not produced in court this fact is not updated to the Courts Service computer system.
The Courts Service currently has no plans to modify or enhance the computer system to record non production of a licence. In the context of enforcement of road traffic legislation, I am informed that all available ICT resources are currently deployed in modifying and enhancing their computer system to facilitate the implementation of the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014. Additionally, the Courts Service recently commenced work in association with An Garda Síochána to enhance the computer system to facilitate the introduction of the 3rd payment option provided for in Section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 2010. I also understand that detailed consideration of arrangements to facilitate the Gardaí in the bringing of prosecutions for non-production of driver licences in court is at an advanced stage.
