asked the Minister for Local Government whether there is any provision, pending court proceedings, to prevent further driving of a mechanically propelled vehicle by a person who has failed to produce a current certificate of insurance on request by a member of the Garda Síochána; and, if not, whether in view of the fact that other persons are put at risk by a driver who is not insured, he will consider taking action in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Uninsured Drivers.
26.
There is no specific provision such as that referred to by the Deputy. However, as the law stands at present, if a person persists in driving a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place without insurance he can be charged with an offence in respect of each separate such occasion. Furthermore where a garda has reasonable grounds for believing that a person is persisting in driving without insurance there are facilities for getting an abridged summons so that the person can be brought to court very quickly. A provision along the lines the Deputy suggests could be regarded as empowering the gardaí to impose sanctions on the acts of a person before such person had been convicted of an offence.
Is the Minister aware that a person who is not insured, who has produced an out-of-date certificate at the Garda station and is, therefore, not insured, can afterwards drive away? Is the Minister aware that if that person is involved in an accident with a pedestrian, the pedestrian has no recourse to compensation? Does the Minister think this state of affairs should continue?
The person can drive away but he cannot legally do so. There is the possibility that the Motor Insurers' Bureau would deal with such a case. The position is as I have outlined, that each time a person drives a vehicle without insurance an offence is committed.
Question No. 27 postponed.