Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 November 2004
238 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress to date in addressing the long delays between motorists being observed breaking the speed limit or other road traffic offences which merit penalty points and the awarding against them of those points; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28450/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 5 of the Road Traffic Act 2002 deals with the notification to licence holders of the endorsement of penalty points. This aspect of the system is a matter for the Minister for Transport rather than the Garda Síochána.
I am aware that some people have experienced delays. However, as the Deputy will appreciate, the penalty points system is currently operating on a semi-manual basis. The fixed charge processing system, FCPS, will address this issue. FCPS provides for the computerisation of the Garda element of penalty points processing and also provides for the outsourcing of the collection of payments. A pilot system has been operational in the Dublin and Louth-Meath areas since 30 June 2004 and will be rolled out to the Dublin metropolitan region from 22 November 2004. Thereafter, nationwide rollout of the system is dependent on the enactment of the Road Traffic Bill 2004, which will provide, inter alia, for the collection of payments by a service provider. The system will be rolled out nationwide as quickly as possible after the enactment of the requisite legislation.
Where persons do not pay the fixed charge relating to penalty point offences within the time limits set out in the Road Traffic Act 2002 the matter must be brought before the District Court. In Dublin the waiting time for the hearing of these cases can be up to six months from the date a person is charged or from the date of receipt of application for a summons to the first court hearing date. This is due to the large volume of cases coming before the Dublin courts. In the provincial District Courts there is generally no delay in cases receiving hearing dates with the exception of Cork city District Court where there is a waiting time of two to two and a half months.
The Courts Service electronically transmits to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government an interface file once every week, setting out the full details of each court case heard to which penalty points apply. However, to allow time for appeals to be lodged and for all data to be entered and verified on the courts criminal case tracking system, the Courts Service allows at least 28 days from the date on which the penalty is imposed by the court before sending this information to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
The benefits of the considerable advances in road safety achieved in the period since the introduction of penalty points outweigh the regrettable delays resulting from the operation of the interim manual system. I am satisfied that the role played by the Garda Síochána to date in the introduction and ongoing enforcement of the penalty points has been vital in the progress made.
