Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Maybe it is a discussion for another day. The anomaly still exists. I got a summons but I never got a fixed charge notice. That was relatively recently – just before Christmas. I get enough fixed charge notices, but I definitely did not get the notice in question. I am well aware that was the case. When we raised it with the Garda Commissioner last week, her answer basically implied that the problem was with An Post.

When the initial penalty points scandal arose, systems were put in place to correct the problem. Then, a year later, another protected disclosure was made in either 2013 or 2014. In that case, the claim was made that the system was still faulty despite all the checks that had been put in place. The excuse given to get over the new restrictions in place with the penalty points was based around undeliverable An Post mail. An independent investigation was set up by the Minister under the offices of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. Moneys were provided by the Department of Justice and Equality. Three years on, that investigation has not taken off. It is correct to raise concerns about the systems. I reckon the systems are seriously flawed still. It is probably something of a side issue to the legislation, which I believe to be a good measure. However, it needs to be factored in.