The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote and is responsible for setting the level of fees applicable in relation to certain services. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.
I am informed by the Garda Authorities that persons involved in road traffic collisions, their legal advisers or insurers or other interested parties may, on written request, be supplied with an abstract of the Garda report in respect of the collision, copies of statements of witnesses and sketches or maps of the scene. Abstracts and statements are not normally supplied until any criminal proceedings are concluded and, in the case of fatal traffic collisions, until the inquest concerning the death has been completed by the Coroner.
I understand that the fees charged are generally designed to recoup administrative costs incurred in the preparation and processing of such requests, that they are kept under on-going review, and that the following arrangements apply with effect from 1 January 2017 in respect of applications received after that date:
- fees in respect of fatal road traffic collisions will be waived (one copy per applicant);
- fees in respect of road traffic collisions resulting in serious injury will be capped at €1,000 (one copy per applicant);
- in circumstances where the investigation of a road traffic collision remains ongoing and criminal proceedings are being contemplated or have already been initiated, or in circumstances where an Inquest has not been completed by the Coroner, abstracts will not be supplied. However, a reduced or amended abstract form containing ‘appropriate information’ as provided for in section 106(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended, will be provided free-of-charge;
- the following fees will be payable in respect of applications in respect of road traffic collisions resulting in material damage:
|
Item
|
Fee
|
|
Collision Reports
|
|
|
Forensic Collision Report – Full Report
|
€400
|
|
Rough Data – Per Page
|
€40
|
|
Copy of Scale Plan –
Other than that as provided as part of full report
|
€50
|
|
Copy of Vehicle Examination Report
(Unless provided as part of full report)
|
€70
|
|
|
|
|
Photographs
|
|
|
From Digital Camera (per disc)
|
€30
|
|
A4 Index Sheet
|
€20
|
|
Photographs (1st Photograph)
|
€25
|
|
Each Subsequent photograph
|
€5
|
|
|
|
|
Abstract of Report
|
€60
|
|
Copy of Statement
|
€40
|
I am aware that the Garda authorities informed the Policing Authority in September that An Garda Síochána had identified some 28 cases of people being mistakenly charged for abstracts and that appropriate reimbursements would be made. They have provided the following details of fees that are being refunded in accordance with the new arrangements.
|
Collision Type
|
Applications
|
Total Fee imposed
|
Refund
|
|
Fatal Collision
|
30
|
€19,340
|
€19,340
|
|
Serious Injury
|
3
|
€3,060
|
€60
|
|
Total
|
33
|
€22,400
|
€19,400
|
