Catherine Murphy
Question:
200. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of drivers issued with a fixed charge notice for driving while holding a mobile phone by Garda division in each of the years 2018 to 2020; the number of drivers per year that failed to pay the fixed charge notice; the number of drivers that were summoned to court for failure to pay by District Court in each of the years 2018 to 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24795/21]
View answer
I have requested a report from the Garda authorities on the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of drivers issued with a fixed charge notice for driving while holding a mobile phone by Garda division in each of the years 2018 to 2020; and the number of drivers per year that failed to pay the fixed charge notice. Unfortunately, this report was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the report is to hand.
As the Deputy will be aware, there are no summons issued for the failure to pay a Fixed Charge Notice within the statutory payment window. Rather, a person who chooses to exercise their right to not pay the Fixed Charge Penalty will be summonsed to Court for the offence for which the Fixed Charge Notice was originally issued - in the case of the information requested, the offence of driving whilst holding a mobile phone.
I have contacted the Courts Service and have been advised that the following table shows the number of persons before the courts and finalised for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone by District Court for the periods Jan – Dec 2018, Jan – Dec 2019, Jan - Dec 2020 and Jan – 31 March 2021.
It should be noted that a defendant may be listed in more than one Court Area for each year and such defendants would be displayed more than once in this report:
|
Court Area
|
Jan - Dec 2018 No. of persons
|
Jan - Dec 2019No. of persons
|
Jan - Dec 2020No. of Persons
|
Jan - 31 Mar 2021No. of Persons
|
|
ACAILL
|
-
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
AN CLOCHAN LIATH
|
-
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
|
AN DAINGEAN
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
AN FAL CARRACH
|
-
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
ARDEE
|
25
|
36
|
12
|
0
|
|
ARKLOW
|
13
|
24
|
11
|
0
|
|
ATHLONE
|
40
|
42
|
25
|
3
|
|
ATHY
|
12
|
20
|
10
|
3
|
|
BALLAGHADERREEN
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
|
BALLINA
|
11
|
43
|
34
|
7
|
|
BALLINASLOE
|
15
|
19
|
20
|
13
|
|
BALLYSHANNON
|
14
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
|
BANDON
|
73
|
46
|
27
|
13
|
|
BANTRY
|
9
|
10
|
6
|
2
|
|
BEAL AN MHUIRTHEAD
|
3
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
|
BRAY
|
43
|
78
|
44
|
4
|
|
BUNCRANA
|
20
|
32
|
31
|
5
|
|
CAHIRCIVEEN
|
-
|
3
|
4
|
0
|
|
CARLOW
|
59
|
93
|
104
|
49
|
|
CARNDONAGH
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
|
CARRICK ON SHANNON
|
19
|
36
|
19
|
8
|
|
CARRICK ON SUIR
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
7
|
|
CARRICKMACROSS
|
100
|
81
|
31
|
8
|
|
CASHEL
|
58
|
39
|
22
|
8
|
|
CASTLEBAR
|
37
|
65
|
90
|
8
|
|
CASTLEREA
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
|
CAVAN
|
48
|
65
|
44
|
12
|
|
CLIFDEN
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
|
CLONAKILTY
|
13
|
15
|
8
|
0
|
|
CLONMEL
|
33
|
18
|
16
|
10
|
|
CORK CITY
|
303
|
371
|
190
|
97
|
|
DOIRE AN FHEICH
|
2
|
2
|
5
|
0
|
|
DONEGAL
|
10
|
9
|
3
|
1
|
|
DROGHEDA
|
57
|
45
|
41
|
3
|
|
DUBLIN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
|
1211
|
1,431
|
821
|
228
|
|
DUNDALK
|
35
|
50
|
35
|
3
|
|
DUNGARVAN
|
16
|
39
|
17
|
15
|
|
ENNIS
|
145
|
109
|
51
|
25
|
|
FERMOY
|
54
|
45
|
20
|
8
|
|
GALWAY
|
349
|
272
|
176
|
30
|
|
GOREY
|
69
|
147
|
61
|
33
|
|
GORT
|
69
|
32
|
13
|
0
|
|
KILCOCK
|
31
|
23
|
0
|
0
|
|
KILKENNY
|
106
|
121
|
55
|
42
|
|
KILLALOE
|
14
|
11
|
4
|
5
|
|
KILLARNEY
|
68
|
69
|
26
|
1
|
|
KILLORGLIN
|
9
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
|
KILRUSH
|
7
|
15
|
7
|
3
|
|
LETTERKENNY
|
23
|
31
|
49
|
12
|
|
LIMERICK
|
525
|
430
|
295
|
33
|
|
LISMORE
|
6
|
9
|
4
|
1
|
|
LISTOWEL
|
38
|
15
|
17
|
2
|
|
LONGFORD
|
30
|
55
|
40
|
13
|
|
LOUGHREA
|
54
|
43
|
20
|
11
|
|
MACROOM
|
95
|
44
|
17
|
2
|
|
MALLOW
|
73
|
56
|
61
|
25
|
|
MANORHAMILTON
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
MEATH
|
97
|
114
|
78
|
45
|
|
MIDLETON
|
59
|
94
|
68
|
1
|
|
MONAGHAN
|
25
|
19
|
12
|
4
|
|
MULLINGAR
|
38
|
23
|
8
|
1
|
|
NA GLEANNTA
|
-
|
|
1
|
0
|
|
NAAS
|
207
|
340
|
157
|
49
|
|
NENAGH
|
7
|
26
|
26
|
14
|
|
NEWCASTLE WEST
|
120
|
93
|
53
|
13
|
|
PORTLAOISE
|
99
|
198
|
66
|
46
|
|
ROSCOMMON
|
26
|
32
|
19
|
6
|
|
SKIBBEREEN
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
|
SLIGO
|
48
|
106
|
42
|
0
|
|
STROKESTOWN
|
15
|
6
|
3
|
0
|
|
THURLES
|
35
|
48
|
26
|
17
|
|
TIPPERARY
|
33
|
24
|
9
|
6
|
|
TRALEE
|
91
|
121
|
96
|
5
|
|
TUAM
|
22
|
51
|
27
|
3
|
|
TUBBERCURRY
|
14
|
15
|
13
|
0
|
|
TULLAMORE
|
46
|
64
|
38
|
20
|
|
VIRGINIA
|
20
|
41
|
31
|
18
|
|
WATERFORD CITY
|
93
|
176
|
112
|
23
|
|
WESTPORT
|
15
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
|
WEXFORD
|
117
|
166
|
115
|
56
|
|
WICKLOW
|
21
|
37
|
28
|
1
|
|
YOUGHAL
|
5
|
6
|
2
|
0
|
|
Total no of Persons
|
5,327
|
6,081
|
3,635
|
1,089
|
The following reply was received under Standing Order 51:
I refer to Parliamentary Question number 200 of 12 May 2021. You will recall that some of the information could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the requested information was available.
As you are aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes operational decisions relating to road traffic matters.
For clarity, there are no summons issued for the failure to pay a fixed charge notice within the statutory payment window. A person who chooses to exercise their right not to pay the fixed charge penalty will be summonsed to Court for the offence for which the fixed charge notice was originally issued - in the case of the information requested, the offence of driving whilst holding a mobile phone.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that the tables included in the attached appendix set out the number of instances by Garda Division,
a. in which a party was issued with a fixed charge notice for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone, and
b. in which a party was issued with a fixed charge notice for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone and, in addition, a summons was issued and/or the case was sent to court.
I have also contacted the Courts Service and have been advised that the table included in the attached appendix sets out the number of persons before the courts and finalised for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone by District Court for the periods Jan – Dec 2018, Jan – Dec 2019, Jan - Dec 2020 and Jan – 31 March 2021. It should be noted that a defendant may be listed in more than one Court Area for each year and such defendants would be displayed more than once in this report. This information was previously provided to you on the 12 May 2021.
I trust this information is of assistance.
Appendix
Breakdown by division of the number of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone
|
Division
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Cavan/Monaghan
|
1136
|
992
|
642
|
|
Clare
|
910
|
584
|
662
|
|
Cork City
|
1625
|
1333
|
1258
|
|
Cork North
|
1142
|
1170
|
928
|
|
Cork West
|
696
|
621
|
529
|
|
D.M.R. Eastern
|
1078
|
980
|
682
|
|
D.M.R. North Central
|
684
|
584
|
570
|
|
D.M.R. Northern
|
932
|
1235
|
962
|
|
D.M.R. South Central
|
973
|
1083
|
593
|
|
D.M.R. Southern
|
1113
|
1029
|
669
|
|
D.M.R. Western
|
1678
|
1599
|
1571
|
|
Donegal
|
460
|
613
|
578
|
|
Galway
|
2732
|
2253
|
1534
|
|
Kerry
|
1078
|
1119
|
806
|
|
Kildare
|
1591
|
1244
|
1601
|
|
Kilkenny/Carlow
|
1429
|
1122
|
1338
|
|
Laois/Offaly
|
1344
|
1041
|
814
|
|
Limerick
|
2524
|
2264
|
942
|
|
Louth
|
630
|
439
|
846
|
|
Mayo
|
717
|
1320
|
907
|
|
Meath
|
641
|
698
|
1250
|
|
Roscommon/Longford
|
714
|
614
|
421
|
|
Sligo/Leitrim
|
682
|
745
|
237
|
|
Tipperary
|
716
|
745
|
796
|
|
Waterford
|
1024
|
805
|
1090
|
|
Westmeath
|
443
|
351
|
355
|
|
Wexford
|
1620
|
1584
|
1237
|
|
Wicklow
|
862
|
939
|
657
|
|
Grand Total
|
31174
|
29106
|
24475
|
Breakdown by division of the number of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone and, in addition, a summons was issued and/or the case was sent to court.
|
Division
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Cavan/Monaghan
|
138
|
132
|
106
|
|
Clare
|
116
|
69
|
110
|
|
Cork City
|
225
|
173
|
196
|
|
Cork North
|
124
|
147
|
146
|
|
Cork West
|
64
|
61
|
37
|
|
D.M.R. Eastern
|
129
|
121
|
95
|
|
D.M.R. North Central
|
127
|
112
|
120
|
|
D.M.R. Northern
|
163
|
221
|
196
|
|
D.M.R. South Central
|
139
|
197
|
104
|
|
D.M.R. Southern
|
193
|
167
|
168
|
|
D.M.R. Western
|
307
|
326
|
353
|
|
Donegal
|
55
|
60
|
90
|
|
Galway
|
277
|
271
|
203
|
|
Kerry
|
137
|
134
|
131
|
|
Kildare
|
197
|
157
|
260
|
|
Kilkenny/Carlow
|
135
|
143
|
188
|
|
Laois/Offaly
|
145
|
130
|
120
|
|
Limerick
|
363
|
294
|
188
|
|
Louth
|
73
|
73
|
159
|
|
Mayo
|
56
|
128
|
126
|
|
Meath
|
85
|
92
|
186
|
|
Roscommon/Longford
|
71
|
63
|
62
|
|
Sligo/Leitrim
|
64
|
63
|
28
|
|
Tipperary
|
90
|
94
|
136
|
|
Waterford
|
103
|
104
|
161
|
|
Westmeath
|
43
|
34
|
55
|
|
Wexford
|
198
|
166
|
151
|
|
Wicklow
|
106
|
109
|
117
|
|
Grand Total
|
3923
|
3841
|
3992
|
Additional Information
Figures are based on incidents which occurred from 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2020, 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.
The number of persons before the courts and finalised for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone by District Court for the periods Jan – Dec 2018, Jan – Dec 2019, Jan - Dec 2020 and Jan – 31 March 2021
|
Court Area
|
Jan - Dec 2018 No. of persons
|
Jan - Dec 2019No. of persons
|
Jan - Dec 2020No. of Persons
|
Jan - 31 Mar 2021No. of Persons
|
|
Court Area
|
Jan - Dec 2018 No. of persons
|
Jan - Dec 2019 No. of persons
|
Jan - Dec 2020 No. of Persons
|
Jan - 31 Mar 2021 No. of Persons
|
|
ACAILL
|
-
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
AN CLOCHAN LIATH
|
-
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
|
AN DAINGEAN
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
AN FAL CARRACH
|
-
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
ARDEE
|
25
|
36
|
12
|
0
|
|
ARKLOW
|
13
|
24
|
11
|
0
|
|
ATHLONE
|
40
|
42
|
25
|
3
|
|
ATHY
|
12
|
20
|
10
|
3
|
|
BALLAGHADERREEN
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
|
BALLINA
|
11
|
43
|
34
|
7
|
|
BALLINASLOE
|
15
|
19
|
20
|
13
|
|
BALLYSHANNON
|
14
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
|
BANDON
|
73
|
46
|
27
|
13
|
|
BANTRY
|
9
|
10
|
6
|
2
|
|
BEAL AN MHUIRTHEAD
|
3
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
|
BRAY
|
43
|
78
|
44
|
4
|
|
BUNCRANA
|
20
|
32
|
31
|
5
|
|
CAHIRCIVEEN
|
-
|
3
|
4
|
0
|
|
CARLOW
|
59
|
93
|
104
|
49
|
|
CARNDONAGH
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
|
CARRICK ON SHANNON
|
19
|
36
|
19
|
8
|
|
CARRICK ON SUIR
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
7
|
|
CARRICKMACROSS
|
100
|
81
|
31
|
8
|
|
CASHEL
|
58
|
39
|
22
|
8
|
|
CASTLEBAR
|
37
|
65
|
90
|
8
|
|
CASTLEREA
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
|
CAVAN
|
48
|
65
|
44
|
12
|
|
CLIFDEN
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
|
CLONAKILTY
|
13
|
15
|
8
|
0
|
|
CLONMEL
|
33
|
18
|
16
|
10
|
|
CORK CITY
|
303
|
371
|
190
|
97
|
|
DOIRE AN FHEICH
|
2
|
2
|
5
|
0
|
|
DONEGAL
|
10
|
9
|
3
|
1
|
|
DROGHEDA
|
57
|
45
|
41
|
3
|
|
DUBLIN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
|
1211
|
1,431
|
821
|
228
|
|
DUNDALK
|
35
|
50
|
35
|
3
|
|
DUNGARVAN
|
16
|
39
|
17
|
15
|
|
ENNIS
|
145
|
109
|
51
|
25
|
|
FERMOY
|
54
|
45
|
20
|
8
|
|
GALWAY
|
349
|
272
|
176
|
30
|
|
GOREY
|
69
|
147
|
61
|
33
|
|
GORT
|
69
|
32
|
13
|
0
|
|
KILCOCK
|
31
|
23
|
0
|
0
|
|
KILKENNY
|
106
|
121
|
55
|
42
|
|
KILLALOE
|
14
|
11
|
4
|
5
|
|
KILLARNEY
|
68
|
69
|
26
|
1
|
|
KILLORGLIN
|
9
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
|
KILRUSH
|
7
|
15
|
7
|
3
|
|
LETTERKENNY
|
23
|
31
|
49
|
12
|
|
LIMERICK
|
525
|
430
|
295
|
33
|
|
LISMORE
|
6
|
9
|
4
|
1
|
|
LISTOWEL
|
38
|
15
|
17
|
2
|
|
LONGFORD
|
30
|
55
|
40
|
13
|
|
LOUGHREA
|
54
|
43
|
20
|
11
|
|
MACROOM
|
95
|
44
|
17
|
2
|
|
MALLOW
|
73
|
56
|
61
|
25
|
|
MANORHAMILTON
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
MEATH
|
97
|
114
|
78
|
45
|
|
MIDLETON
|
59
|
94
|
68
|
1
|
|
MONAGHAN
|
25
|
19
|
12
|
4
|
|
MULLINGAR
|
38
|
23
|
8
|
1
|
|
NA GLEANNTA
|
-
|
|
1
|
0
|
|
NAAS
|
207
|
340
|
157
|
49
|
|
NENAGH
|
7
|
26
|
26
|
14
|
|
NEWCASTLE WEST
|
120
|
93
|
53
|
13
|
|
PORTLAOISE
|
99
|
198
|
66
|
46
|
|
ROSCOMMON
|
26
|
32
|
19
|
6
|
|
SKIBBEREEN
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
|
SLIGO
|
48
|
106
|
42
|
0
|
|
STROKESTOWN
|
15
|
6
|
3
|
0
|
|
THURLES
|
35
|
48
|
26
|
17
|
|
TIPPERARY
|
33
|
24
|
9
|
6
|
|
TRALEE
|
91
|
121
|
96
|
5
|
|
TUAM
|
22
|
51
|
27
|
3
|
|
TUBBERCURRY
|
14
|
15
|
13
|
0
|
|
TULLAMORE
|
46
|
64
|
38
|
20
|
|
VIRGINIA
|
20
|
41
|
31
|
18
|
|
WATERFORD CITY
|
93
|
176
|
112
|
23
|
|
WESTPORT
|
15
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
|
WEXFORD
|
117
|
166
|
115
|
56
|
|
WICKLOW
|
21
|
37
|
28
|
1
|
|
YOUGHAL
|
5
|
6
|
2
|
0
|
|
Total no of Persons
|
5,327
|
6,081
|
3,635
|
1,089
|
It should be noted that a defendant may be listed in more than one Court Area for each year and such defendants would be displayed more than once in this report.
