Written answers
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Department of Justice and Equality
Road Traffic Offences
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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265. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of fixed charge penalty notices issued to learner drivers for driving without being accompanied by a fully qualified driver, for non-display of L plates in 2014 and in 2015 to date, how many persons paid these notices within the 56-day period, how many of those who did not pay within this period were issued with summonses, by District Court, were listed to appear in court, were convicted and had penalty points applied; the number of persons who had their licence numbers recorded, by court, for each of the offences; how many received four points and a conviction, by court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44763/15]
Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I have sought a report from the Garda authorities on the matters referred to and I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as it is to hand.
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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266. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the Courts Service project to electronically record whether or not a licence has been presented in court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44766/15]
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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275. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the requirement for the Courts Service to record the licences of drivers who have been disqualified from driving; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44776/15]
Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 275 together.
As the Deputy is aware the primary purpose of section 63 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 is to ensure that the driving licence number of individual offenders is recorded to enable the application of appropriate penalty points to the licence on conviction by the court.
The Courts Service has confirmed that where an accused is convicted before a court and disqualified from driving, the driving licence number is collected by two methods. The first is where the details are provided by An Garda Síochána prior to submission of an application for a summons in respect of the offence. Where the driving licence number is so collected, the driving licence number is sent electronically to the Courts Service with the summons application and the licence number is updated to the Courts Service computer system. Under the second method, the details are collected by the Court Registrar where a licence is produced to the court at the hearing of the offence. As outlined above, if the licence is produced, the Court Registrar records the licence number and the number is updated to the Courts Service computer system.
Where a driving licence is produced to the court during the course of court proceedings relating to penalty point offences, the Court Registrar records the driving licence number. Following the completion of the proceedings the driving licence number is updated to the Courts Service computer system if the accused is convicted of the offence before the court. Subsequently the details of the conviction and the associated driving licence number are sent electronically to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport for the application of penalty points.
I am informed that where an accused is summonsed to appear before a court and subsequently convicted of the offence, if a driving licence is not produced to the court, the Court Registrar records in the Court Minute Book or on the summons that no driving licence was produced. The non- production of the driving licence is recorded whether or not the accused appears before the court.
The Courts Service has advised that there is no project underway to electronically record the non-production of a licence in court. However, I want to assure you that my Department is in contact with the relevant agencies with a view to ensuring that the most efficient and effective processing and recording of data in respect of non-production of licences applies.
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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267. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to the reply, dated 3 November 2015, to Parliamentary Question No. 545 of 3 November 2015 wherein she stated that the statistics were being collated, if she now has these figures available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44767/15]
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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268. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to reply, dated 3 November 2015, to Parliamentary Question No. 548 of 3 November 2015 wherein she stated that the statistics were being collated if she now has these figures available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44768/15]
Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 268 together.
I can advise the Deputy that responses in relation to his queries are being finalised at present and will issue in the very near future.
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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269. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to reply, dated 3 November 2015, to Parliamentary Question No. 594 which was a follow-up to Parliamentary Question No. 470 of 14 July 2015 wherein she stated that the statistics were being collated if she now has these figures available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44769/15]
Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my letter dated 10 December 2015 which set out information sought by him.
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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270. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to reply, dated 3 November 2015, to Parliamentary Question No. 593 of 3 November 2015 wherein she stated that the statistics were being collated if she now has these figures available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44770/15]
Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table provides the number of Fixed Charge Notices issued to drivers for the offences requested by the Deputy for the period 31 July to 30 September 2015.
Number of Fixed Charge Notices issued for the offences listed for the period 30 July 2015 to 30 September 2015 | |
---|---|
Parking in a cycle track during its period of operation (Contravention of requirement to remove vehicle parked on cycle track (RRM022 or 023) after commencement of period indicated on information plate contrary to Section 35(5) of the Road Traffic Act, 1994) | 112 |
Invading an Advance Stop Line by failing to bring vehicle to a stop behind a primary stop-line (Failure to stop in advance of traffic sign number RRM 017 (Stop Line), contrary to Section 35(5) of the Road Traffic Act, 1994) | 16 |
Failure to stop in advance of Traffic Sign (Failure to stop in advance of traffic sign for number RRM 017 (stop line) where traffic sign number RUS 027(stop sign) was also provided contrary to Section 35(5) of the Road Traffic Act, 1994) | 60 |
Dangerous Overtaking (Overtaking another vehicle in a manner which wold endanger or cause inconvenience to any other person contrary to Section 35(5) of the Road Traffic Act, 1994). Please note that it is not possible to provided a breakdown between overtaking pedal cyclists and mechanically propelled vehicles, therefore the figure provided relates to all manners of dangerous overtaking. | 20 |
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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271. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 470 of 14 July 2015, which was a follow-up to Parliamentary Question No. 398 of 21 April 2015, where the parliamentary questions requested a breakdown of the numbers of disqualifications, by District Court, from January 2013 to March 2015, if she now has these figures available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44771/15]
Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system.
In my response to Parliamentary Question No. 470 of 14 July 2015, I provided the Deputy with information on the overall number of drivers disqualified for road traffic offences in 2013, 2014 & January to March 2015, as requested. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and a breakdown of this information by District Court Area is provided in the table.
Court Area | No of Defendants Disqualified Jan - Dec 2013 | No of Defendants Disqualified Jan - Dec 2014 | No of Defendants Disqualified Jan - Mar 2015 |
---|---|---|---|
ABBEYFEALE | 14 | 2 | 1 |
ACAILL | 5 | 1 | 0 |
AN CLOCHAN LIATH | 16 | 8 | 1 |
AN DAINGEAN | 10 | 8 | 1 |
AN FAL CARRACH | 11 | 14 | 1 |
AN SPIDEAL | 2 | 0 | 0 |
ARDEE | 25 | 14 | 8 |
ARKLOW | 49 | 44 | 6 |
ATHLONE | 77 | 65 | 15 |
ATHY | 34 | 37 | 6 |
BALLAGHADERREEN | 22 | 15 | 3 |
BALLINA | 25 | 45 | 14 |
BALLINASLOE | 55 | 67 | 15 |
BALLYCONNELL & SWANLINBAR | 12 | 2 | 1 |
BALLYHAUNIS | 5 | 2 | 0 |
BALLYSHANNON | 25 | 41 | 8 |
BALTINGLASS | 16 | 0 | 1 |
BANDON | 58 | 70 | 17 |
BANTRY | 28 | 23 | 8 |
BEAL AN MHUIRTHEAD | 17 | 15 | 3 |
BIRR | 17 | 1 | 0 |
BORRISOKANE | 0 | 1 | 0 |
BRAY | 113 | 121 | 25 |
BUNCRANA | 23 | 22 | 8 |
CAHIRCIVEEN | 4 | 2 | 2 |
CARLOW | 122 | 98 | 43 |
CARNDONAGH | 13 | 19 | 4 |
CARRICK ON SHANNON | 39 | 44 | 17 |
CARRICK ON SUIR | 17 | 16 | 4 |
CARRICKMACROSS | 69 | 68 | 11 |
CASHEL | 35 | 66 | 13 |
CASTLEBAR | 74 | 62 | 15 |
CASTLECOMER | 3 | 0 | 0 |
CASTLEREA | 10 | 11 | 4 |
CAVAN | 95 | 82 | 28 |
CILL RONAN | 0 | 1 | 0 |
CLIFDEN | 14 | 19 | 11 |
CLONAKILTY | 45 | 27 | 3 |
CLONES | 14 | 0 | 0 |
CLONMEL | 55 | 62 | 16 |
CORK CITY | 723 | 574 | 163 |
DOIRE AN FHEICH | 16 | 30 | 8 |
DONEGAL | 22 | 28 | 4 |
DROGHEDA | 110 | 107 | 20 |
DUBLIN METROPOLITAN DISTRICT | 2,096 | 1,881 | 604 |
DUNDALK | 162 | 107 | 22 |
DUNGARVAN | 29 | 25 | 9 |
EDENDERRY | 29 | 0 | 0 |
ENNIS | 188 | 193 | 55 |
ENNISTYMON | 1 | 0 | 0 |
FERMOY | 59 | 77 | 21 |
GALWAY | 235 | 220 | 80 |
GOREY | 147 | 143 | 39 |
GORT | 22 | 21 | 10 |
KELLS | 52 | 4 | 0 |
KENMARE | 6 | 5 | 1 |
KILCOCK | 40 | 45 | 8 |
KILKENNY | 120 | 84 | 46 |
KILLALOE | 21 | 26 | 9 |
KILLARNEY | 42 | 43 | 4 |
KILLORGLIN | 7 | 9 | 1 |
KILMALLOCK | 1 | 0 | 1 |
KILRUSH | 18 | 24 | 5 |
KINSALE | 20 | 0 | 0 |
LETTERKENNY | 120 | 137 | 36 |
LIMERICK | 362 | 269 | 85 |
LISMORE | 10 | 6 | 0 |
LISTOWEL | 28 | 23 | 9 |
LONGFORD | 89 | 124 | 29 |
LOUGHREA | 47 | 50 | 11 |
MACROOM | 49 | 37 | 15 |
MALLOW | 82 | 118 | 39 |
MANORHAMILTON | 8 | 6 | 2 |
MIDLETON | 104 | 94 | 36 |
MONAGHAN | 53 | 52 | 22 |
MULLINGAR | 106 | 108 | 32 |
NA GLEANNTA | 6 | 10 | 1 |
NAAS | 168 | 193 | 57 |
NAVAN | 126 | 144 | 48 |
NENAGH | 75 | 82 | 30 |
NEWCASTLE WEST | 55 | 61 | 31 |
PORTARLINGTON | 1 | 0 | 0 |
PORTLAOISE | 144 | 152 | 49 |
ROSCOMMON | 49 | 44 | 12 |
ROSCREA | 3 | 1 | 0 |
SKIBBEREEN | 19 | 21 | 9 |
SLIGO | 81 | 72 | 24 |
STROKESTOWN | 7 | 10 | 4 |
SWINFORD | 7 | 0 | 0 |
TEMPLEMORE | 2 | 0 | 0 |
THURLES | 69 | 71 | 18 |
TIPPERARY | 34 | 41 | 11 |
TRALEE | 79 | 72 | 24 |
TRIM | 44 | 29 | 12 |
TUAM | 77 | 71 | 14 |
TUBBERCURRY | 11 | 13 | 2 |
TULLAMORE | 99 | 122 | 35 |
VIRGINIA | 77 | 81 | 18 |
WATERFORD CITY | 195 | 126 | 32 |
WESTPORT | 21 | 14 | 7 |
WEXFORD | 163 | 140 | 48 |
WICKLOW | 68 | 40 | 6 |
YOUGHAL | 20 | 19 | 5 |
Total | 8,192 | 7,494 | 2,236 |
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