Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On 8 February this year, the Minister made the comment: "I am concerned that in certain cases where people have breached the alcohol limit while driving, the awarding of three penalty sends out the message that it is not a serious offence." In other words, he was saying that people do not take any notice of the three penalty points, that they are not a deterrent. The Chairman asked the Minister if there have been repeat offenders, and the Minister for Justice and Equality has said that she cannot answer that question. The Minister is throwing facts, figures and statistics at us and making wild statements, but he cannot back them up.