Road Traffic Offences

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 July 2015

Wednesday, 8 July 2015

Questions (127)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

127. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 104 of 27 May 2015 regarding Parliamentary Questions Nos. 273 and 275 of 30 September 2014, 350 of 10 February 2015 and 108 of 20 February 2015, outlining the statistics on non-surrender of driver licences by disqualified drivers, which showed that 1,286 drivers were prosecuted in 2013 for driving while disqualified, 1,373 prosecutions were initiated in 2014, 20,315 drivers were prosecuted in 2013 for driving without a licence, and 19,968 drivers were prosecuted in 2014; the penalties these prosecuted drivers received in court if convicted of these offences; if she has this information to hand; if it will be made available to this Deputy prior to the summer recess; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27878/15]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

I am informed by the Courts Service that the information sought by the Deputy is not available in the format requested.

However, in order to be of assistance, the following tables provide data on the number of defendants who had cases listed in court for the offences referred to by the Deputy, where the particular offences were disposed of in Court in 2013 and 2014. As this is a report of outcomes, a defendant could be disqualified, fined and imprisoned on one offence and they will appear below 3 times.

Table A - Driving while Disqualified

Number of Defendants - Driving while Disqualified

Outcome	2013	2014
Community Service Order	58	50
Dismiss	12	28
Dismiss Probation	2
Disqualification	291	283
Fine	157	127
Imprisonment	116	112
Imprisonment Part Suspended	3	2
Imprisonment Suspended	147	130
No Order	13	11
Peace Bond	4	1
Poor Box	1
Probation Order	15	23
Strike Out	255	272
Strike Out Not Served	309	285
Sent forward for Trial	1	2
Taken into Consideration	346	314
Withdrawn	32	42
Total	1,762	1,682
Note Overall Defendants	1,117	1,104

Table B - Driving without a Licence

Number of Defendants - Driving without a Licence

Outcome	2013	2014
Community Service Order	34	31
Dismiss	201	230
Dismiss Probation	79	43
Disqualification	187	152
Fine	2,402	2,751
Imprisonment	103	84
Imprisonment Part Suspended	1	4
Imprisonment Suspended	62	56
No Order	75	47
Peace Bond	7	2
Poor Box	63	26
Probation Order	23	36
Strike Out	7,310	7,843
Strike Out Not Served	5,758	5,029
Sent forward for Trial		1
Taken into Consideration	2,844	2,896
Withdrawn	878	820
Other	6	5
Total	20,033	20,056
Note Overall Defendants	17,575	17,431