As the Deputy will be aware, the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2018, known as the Clancy Amendment, provides for penalties to be imposed on car owners who allow their vehicles to be used by an unaccompanied learner driver. The law provides for fines to be levied in such cases and gives Gardaí the power to seize their cars if being driven by unaccompanied learner drivers.
The Garda authorities have provided me with the below table which has an annual breakdown by Garda division of the number of instances in which a learner driver was issued with a fixed charge notice for the offence of driving unaccompanied by a qualified driver.
I am advised by An Garda Síochána that given the large number of districts, it is not possible to provide a breakdown of the relevant fixed charge notices issued to district level.
Garda Division
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021*
|
Cavan/Monaghan
|
144
|
108
|
32
|
Clare
|
66
|
47
|
20
|
Cork City
|
103
|
154
|
47
|
Cork North
|
89
|
77
|
47
|
Cork West
|
94
|
67
|
17
|
D.M.R. Eastern
|
94
|
62
|
31
|
D.M.R. North Central
|
131
|
138
|
29
|
D.M.R. Northern
|
236
|
230
|
141
|
D.M.R. South Central
|
98
|
159
|
72
|
D.M.R. Southern
|
306
|
282
|
104
|
D.M.R. Western
|
473
|
562
|
279
|
Donegal
|
46
|
51
|
20
|
Galway
|
106
|
140
|
52
|
Kerry
|
68
|
47
|
20
|
Kildare
|
263
|
343
|
176
|
Kilkenny/Carlow
|
131
|
143
|
63
|
Laois/Offaly
|
166
|
204
|
77
|
Limerick
|
279
|
203
|
46
|
Louth
|
84
|
91
|
22
|
Mayo
|
47
|
43
|
18
|
Meath
|
55
|
126
|
53
|
Roscommon/Longford
|
83
|
133
|
51
|
Sligo/Leitrim
|
19
|
19
|
-
|
Tipperary
|
121
|
152
|
72
|
Waterford
|
103
|
206
|
75
|
Westmeath
|
41
|
53
|
29
|
Wexford
|
187
|
179
|
68
|
Wicklow
|
212
|
207
|
85
|
* Figures for 2021 up to 30/04/2021.
- Figures less than 10.
For the Deputy's information the figures in the above table are based on incidents which occurred from 1 January 2019 to 30 April 2021, inclusive. All information contained in the above table is based upon operational data from the Fixed Charge Processing System as was available on 4 May 2021 and is liable to change.
The following revised reply was received on 26 May 2021.
Breakdown by division of the number of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offence of driving unaccompanied by a qualified driver
Division
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021*
|
Cavan/Monaghan
|
220
|
152
|
39
|
Clare
|
99
|
64
|
29
|
Cork City
|
213
|
286
|
114
|
Cork North
|
225
|
264
|
128
|
Cork West
|
169
|
133
|
33
|
D.M.R. Eastern
|
107
|
103
|
44
|
D.M.R. North Central
|
220
|
196
|
54
|
D.M.R. Northern
|
353
|
377
|
188
|
D.M.R. South Central
|
164
|
276
|
125
|
D.M.R. Southern
|
489
|
454
|
141
|
D.M.R. Western
|
714
|
835
|
396
|
Donegal
|
105
|
86
|
40
|
Galway
|
208
|
220
|
82
|
Kerry
|
140
|
105
|
32
|
Kildare
|
376
|
499
|
212
|
Kilkenny/Carlow
|
168
|
230
|
97
|
Laois/Offaly
|
236
|
357
|
158
|
Limerick
|
364
|
244
|
67
|
Louth
|
127
|
152
|
39
|
Mayo
|
76
|
85
|
31
|
Meath
|
82
|
194
|
112
|
Roscommon/Longford
|
110
|
176
|
55
|
Sligo/Leitrim
|
47
|
36
|
17
|
Tipperary
|
166
|
226
|
97
|
Waterford
|
185
|
335
|
118
|
Westmeath
|
105
|
112
|
56
|
Wexford
|
396
|
448
|
136
|
Wicklow
|
284
|
239
|
111
|
* Figures for 2021 up to 30/04/2021.
Additional Information
Figures are based on incidents which occurred from 01/01/2019 to 30/04/2021, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the FCPS system as was available on 04/05/2021 and is liable to change.