Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

It is important to state at the outset that more than 70% of fixed charge notices are paid within the statutory prescribed 56-day period and that penalty points, where appropriate, are applied as a consequence of making such payments. Where fixed charge notices are not paid, the matter is dealt with by way of summons to appear before the courts. There is already an obligation on a person appearing before a court charged with offences under the Road Traffic Acts to present his or her driving licence to the court. However, the Road Traffic Bill 2009 amends existing provisions to facilitate administrative procedures in the courts by obliging a person to also bring a photocopy of his or her licence for presentation to the registrar, clerk or other principal officer of the court.

This proposed amendment arose during the extensive discussions with key stakeholders, including the then Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, that preceded the drafting of the Bill. The Bill also includes a number of provisions to facilitate the endorsement of penalty points where a licence record does not exist and for foreign driving licence holders, as well as to bring foreign driving licence holders into the scope of the application of sanctions for road traffic offences, including a disqualification from holding a driving licence.

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