Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 May 2023
110. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide a breakdown on the number of offences recorded by an Garda Síochána for driving without insurance in each of the years 2018 to date in 2023. [26553/23]
View answer111. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide a breakdown of fines issued to motorists caught driving without insurance in each of the years 2018 to date in 2023.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26554/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the enforcement of traffic legislation and the recording of traffic offences. As Minister, I have no role in such matters.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are no fixed charge notices (FCNs/ fines) for driving without insurance, only for failure to display insurance. There are also a number of crime incident types which could include driving without insurance on PULSE, including ‘insurance’ and ‘general roads offences’. Both will contain other incidents in addition to driving without insurance, and there is no specific field by which to identify those which relate to having no insurance.
I am however informed by the Garda authorities that the table below provides a yearly breakdown of the number of charges and summonses created for the offences of ‘No Insurance (Owner)’ and ‘No Insurance (User)’, contrary to sections 56(1) and (3) the Road Traffic Act 1961 as amended by section 3 of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 1984.
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (up to 29 May) |
|
33,894 |
31,954 |
30,192 |
25,787 |
22,182 |
9,090 |
The above figures are based on charges created and summonses issued from 1 January 2018 to 29 May 2023, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the PULSE system as was available on 29 May 2023 and is liable to change.
