Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Howlin and I agreed on several issues relating to this previously and he has been clear on that. It is not acceptable that people were wrongly convicted. It is not acceptable that people did not get a letter indicating the option of accepting the penalty points and paying their charge but were summoned to court. In some of those cases, those charges were dismissed because they did not get the letter. In other words, they were wrongly convicted. The Garda has now apologised for that. It should not have happened.

When the law was changed to allow for that option to apply, that should have been known and understood by every garda throughout the country. It was common sense that if somebody was caught for speeding or whatever the charge might be, the first thing would be that the person should receive a letter giving them the option that was open there.

I am talking about a system that will restore integrity, as well as public confidence and trust in An Garda Síochána. It is not just about a cultural analysis but about a perception of the people now. Who do we believe? Here are the figures and here are the estimates but they are grossly out of kilter with each other.

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