Alan Kelly
Question:671. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice further to parliamentary question No. 629 of 10 May 2022, if she has received the necessary information from the Garda authorities. [32218/22]
View answerTuesday, 21 June 2022
Questions (671)
Written answers
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the recording of traffic offences, collisions and seizures of vehicles. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
The Road Traffic Act provides for the detention, removal, storage and subsequent release or disposal of a mechanically propelled vehicle. A member of An Garda Síochána may detain a vehicle which is in use in a public place in the following circumstances;
- The person driving the vehicle refuses or fails to produce a driving license or learner permit;
- The vehicle is uninsured under section 56 (1) of the Road Traffic Act 1961, or the Garda is of the opinion that the vehicle is being used uninsured;
- The Garda is of the opinion that the excise duty on the vehicle, if registered in the State, has not been paid for 2 months or more prior to its use;
- The vehicle is, or a member of the Garda Síochána is of the opinion that the vehicle is being so used in contravention of section 18 (1) of the Principal Act;
- The vehicle is, or a member of the Garda Síochána is of the opinion that the vehicle is, being so used in contravention of Regulation 19 (1) of the European Communities (vehicle Testing) Regulation 2004 (S.I. No 771 of 2004); or
- In the case of a vehicle registered in another Member State, the vehicle is, or a member of the Garda Síochána is of the opinion that it is, being so used without proof of passing a roadworthiness test is accordance with Council Directive 96/96/EC of 20 December 1996 which for the time being is in force in respect of the vehicle.
The table below, which has been provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of incidents of vehicles detained under Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 for the years 2020, 2021 and up to 9 May 2022.
I am informed that it is not possible to provide data on the number of vehicles that were either crushed or sold off as a central record does not exist and it would require an inordinate expenditure of Garda time and resources to collate the requested data.
|
Year Reported |
Vehicle Detained (Sc. 41 RTA) Incidents |
|
2020 |
29,819 |
|
2021 |
23,721 |
|
2022* |
8,052 |
|
Total |
61,592 |
*Figures for 2022 refer to incidents up to and including 9 May 2022.
I am advised that figures were collated based on data from PULSE as of 1:30am on 10 May 2022. They are operational and may be liable to change.