Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019
887. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the practice of some drivers obtaining a motor insurance disc by paying a small deposit and then not paying the balance but keeping the insurance disc; and his plans to deal with the issue. [54151/18]
View answerI am aware of the small cohort of drivers fraudulently displaying motor insurance discs valid for a 12 month period when a premium has only been partially paid, as are the insurance industry. Driving without motor insurance is an offence under the Road Traffic Laws. Enforcement of Road Traffic legislation is a matter for An Garda Síochána.
I understand that the Garda Mobility Strategy aims to provide frontline members with greater connectivity to back-office systems, harnessing the power of mobile technology, and forms part of the Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021. A pilot programme was operated in Limerick Garda Division from December 2017 to September 2018, with very positive feedback. A key application developed for the Mobility pilot was a Traffic App, which allowed users to search for vehicle information by entering a vehicle registration number into the mobile phone. The trial app gathered information recorded on PULSE in respect of the vehicle, including tax status, ownership information and vehicle warnings, and will when operational be able to tell the Garda at the roadside whether the vehicle is insured.
The utilisation of mobile devices will enable Garda members to be more efficient and effective by having mobile access to relevant core policing applications, a wide-range of up-to-date information and the ability to input and update information in real time. As such it should greatly enhance Garda ability to enforce a variety of Road Traffic laws, including those against driving without insurance.
