Catherine Murphy
Ceist:
201. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if PULSE was updated in 2019 providing a field whereby gardaí must report the reason a vehicle was seized under section 41 of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2018 to include the offence of driving while disqualified; if data can now be provided through this avenue to give the number of vehicles and drivers who had their vehicles seized for driving while disqualified as a result of being stopped by gardaí; the number seized in each of the years 2018 to 2020 by Garda district; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24796/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra
I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received the response in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the required information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
I refer to Parliamentary Question number 201 of 12 May 2021 where you asked if PULSE was updated in 2019 providing a field whereby Gardaí must report the reason a vehicle was seized under section 41 of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2018 to include the offence of driving while disqualified. If data can now be provided through this avenue to give the number of vehicles and drivers who had their vehicles seized for driving while disqualified as a result of being stopped by Gardaí; and the number seized in each of the years 2018 to 2020 by Garda district.
You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the requested information was available.
As you are aware the Commissioner is responsible by law for the direction and control of An Garda Síochána. The Garda Commissioner is also responsible for the day-to-day management of An Garda Síochána which includes operational decisions relating to road traffic matters.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that a facility was provided in June 2019 on PULSE as an additional MO value; namely "Unaccompanied Learner Driver". This was an addition to the existing MO List of values rather than a ‘specific’ field.
I am further informed that a member may record the reason a vehicle was seized under section 41 of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2018 to include the offence of driving whilst disqualified but it is not mandatory to provide a reason for Section 41 Road Traffic Accidents/ incidents.
The table provided in the attached appendix, which has been provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of incidents where a vehicle was seized under section 41 of the Road Traffic Act for driving while disqualified in 2019, 2019 and 2020.
I trust this information is of assistance.
Appendix
|
Division
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Cavan/Monaghan
|
53
|
61
|
82
|
|
Clare
|
26
|
19
|
29
|
|
Cork City
|
69
|
68
|
100
|
|
Cork North
|
46
|
39
|
81
|
|
Cork West
|
27
|
19
|
24
|
|
D.M.R. Eastern
|
13
|
38
|
44
|
|
D.M.R. North Central
|
34
|
41
|
66
|
|
D.M.R. Northern
|
128
|
119
|
161
|
|
D.M.R. South Central
|
18
|
23
|
49
|
|
D.M.R. Southern
|
101
|
116
|
139
|
|
D.M.R. Western
|
206
|
202
|
251
|
|
Donegal
|
29
|
21
|
44
|
|
Galway
|
36
|
41
|
63
|
|
Kerry
|
24
|
27
|
36
|
|
Kildare
|
52
|
67
|
116
|
|
Kilkenny/Carlow
|
40
|
36
|
65
|
|
Laois/Offaly
|
50
|
68
|
99
|
|
Limerick
|
95
|
114
|
119
|
|
Louth
|
39
|
22
|
56
|
|
Mayo
|
18
|
17
|
17
|
|
Meath
|
38
|
51
|
45
|
|
Roscommon/Longford
|
35
|
31
|
54
|
|
Sligo/Leitrim
|
12
|
16
|
15
|
|
Tipperary
|
58
|
66
|
80
|
|
Waterford
|
22
|
35
|
48
|
|
Westmeath
|
26
|
37
|
31
|
|
Wexford
|
40
|
49
|
80
|
|
Wicklow
|
36
|
52
|
71
|
|
Total
|
1371
|
1495
|
2065
|
*Figures are based on incidents which occurred from 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2020, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the Pulse system as was available on 11/05/2021 and is liable to change
