18 Sep 2012, 11:43
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications will tomorrow meet representatives of the AA, Road Safety Authority and the Irish Insurance Federation on a recently completed review of the penalty points system.
18 September 2012
The review was conducted earlier in the year and the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar asked the Committee to consider the proposed modifications to the system.
Among the recommendations contained in the review are a graduated range of penalty points for speeding, where higher penalty points would apply if the vehicle was travelling substantially over the speed limit, as well as steeper penalties for seatbelt offences. The review also says that the points issued for less dangerous offences, such as parking in a dangerous position or failing to have an up-to-date NCT, should be reduced.
Conor Faughnan, Director of Consumer Affairs with the Automobile Association, Noel Brett, CEO of the Road Safety Authority and Niall Doyle, Corporate Affairs Manager of the Irish Insurance Federation, will address the Committee.
Chairman of the Committee Tom Hayes TD says: “The introduction of the penalty points system ten years ago made a major contribution to improving safety on Irish roads. The Minister for Transport has tasked our Committee with considering carefully the recommendations of the review to the points system conducted earlier in the year by the Department. Tomorrow’s meeting with a broad range of stakeholders will assist the Committee in adopting an informed position on the recommendations.
“The ultimate goal in this process is to ensure that any proposed changes bolster the fairness of the system, ensuring that each penalty is proportionate to the gravity of the offence. We hope that the input of key stakeholders tomorrow will help the Committee reach a definitive position on a system that has a considerable impact on the daily lives of citizens across the country.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow morning Wednesday 19 September at 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room 4, Leinster House 2000.
Committee proceedings can be viewed online via this link: http://bit.ly/24YmPI
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +353 1 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee Membership
Deputies
Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil
Dessie Ellis. Sinn Féin
Martin Ferris, Sinn Féin
Terence Flanagan, Fine Gael
Tom Fleming, Independent
Noel Harrington, Fine Gael
Tom Hayes, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Colm Keaveney, Fine Gael
Seán Kenny, Labour
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Éamon Ó Cuív, Fianna Fáil
Patrick O’Donovan, Fine Gael
John O’Mahony, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Ann Phelan, Labour
Brian Walsh, Fine Gael
Senators
Terry Brennan
Sean D. Barrett
Eamonn Coghlan
Paschal Mooney
Ned O’Sullivan
John Whelan