Results 601-620 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I would be obliged if the Minister of State would talk us through how the process will work. I appreciate that the section refers to contracting out only the administrative part of the function, but I am not clear where such administration will stop and decision making will start. What will happen to the database of information? If we contract out the serving of notices and so on, presumably...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I presume prosecution in cases of default of payment of the fixed charge will also fall to the Garda Síochána, or will that not be the case?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I would have thought that function could not be contracted out.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Stopping a motorist for speeding and advising the motorist of the fine involved and the penalty points incurred is a matter for the Garda Síochána. If a fixed payment is not paid by the motorist in question, I presume that information will come back to the Garda Síochána, presumably from the contractor in question? Will the contractor report if the fine has not been paid?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Is that the way it will happen?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Does the Minister of State have a company in mind for this contract or does the Department plan to tender for it?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Is it the case that all such a contractor will do is serve the notice and report to the Garda Síochána whether the fine has been paid?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: The contractor will report to the fines office or whoever deals with that work.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Will the contractor maintain a database of the number of people on whom it served notices?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Will it share that information with the Garda Síochána? Will it be available to the Garda Síochána or will it be separate from its PULSE system?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Is it intended that this work will be administered from Garda headquarters or will it be administered by a private company?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: What does that mean?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I am confused. Will the Minister of State start with the situation where I am stopped by the garda and finish with when I am convicted in court for not having paid the fixed penalty? How does the process work?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I am out of practice.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: My problem is that I do not understand what is meant by administering the fixed charge collection. If a garda stops me and tells me I am speeding and writes out a note, what does he do then?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I then get a notice to the effect that I have the option to pay a fixed charge or in default of payment the case may end up in court.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Is that notice sent by the Garda?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Does that notice inform me that I should pay the fixed charge to the service provider?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: What happens if I do not pay it?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Perhaps I am wrong, but that does not seem like a huge gain in efficiency.