Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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957. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the proposed changes to be introduced under the Road Traffic Bill (No. 2) 2013 specifically the changes envisioned in relation to penalty points disqualification for new learner and or novice drivers and increase in penalty points for different offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19448/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is referring to the Road Traffic Act 2014, which was introduced in the Dáil originally as the Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013.  

The Act creates a new category of novice driver, covering people in their first two years of a full licence.  It also provides that novice and learner drivers will reach disqualification at seven rather than the usual twelve penalty points.  The Act furthermore makes a number of adjustments to penalty points, based primarily on the review of the penalty points regime conducted by my Department in 2012.  

My Department is liaising with An Garda Síochána to prepare for these changes.  It is my intention to commence the penalty point changes, including the new threshold of seven points for learners and novices, as soon as possible.