Results 8,101-8,120 of 15,510 for speaker:Brendan Griffin

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Garda Operations (6 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: 306. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17187/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: I am delighted to welcome the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, and his officials, Mr. Ray O'Leary, Mr. Declan Hayes and Ms Nicola Hayes. I thank all of them for giving of their time. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: Would the Minister like to respond to Senator Feighan's comments?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: For the benefit of the committee, could the Minister clarify what the figure is for 2016 fixed penalty notices in terms of the 51-80 mg bracket? I have seen two figures. One was 758 and the other was 617. The sum of 617 was quoted as being from An Garda Síochána and 758 was in the regulatory impact assessment. There is-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: That is the figure as of 27 February. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: That would be about average. There was 3,003 over a five-year period, so around 600 per annum would be the average for each of the five years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: Therefore that figure is roughly in line with the average for that five-year period.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: There is now 15 minutes for the Fianna Fáil grouping. Do Deputies McConalogue and O'Keeffe wish to share? Deputy O'Keeffe will go first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: A total of 1,000 drivers and non-drivers, motorists and non-motorists, were included.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: Senator O'Sullivan and Deputy Fitzpatrick have not yet contributed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: We would like to try to get as many people to contribute as possible before moving forward with it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: The Minister is giving a response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: That is a fair answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: Minister, do you wish to respond?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: The point is made. The Minister can continue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: I thank the Minister for his engagement with us. The committee has been working in recent months on formulating a raft of proposals that will help address road safety in the country. It is encouraging to see a Minister being so proactive and enthusiastic about this measure. The committee's job is to ensure that what we are doing as an Oireachtas is evidence based and will be effective....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: I have looked for it but I cannot find it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: It is relevant to this discussion. It is important because we need to recognise that there was a change in the law just after the midpoint of that reference period. Therefore, the new law may have applied to some of those 16 drivers who had a blood alcohol reading in the 51 mg to 80 mg range. Therefore, the current proposed change would not have applied to them in that they would have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: It is important that we get that information. The Minister might forward it to us as soon as possible as it would help to inform our discussions. The second question I want to ask the Minister is in regard to 2016 where there were 8,063 arrests for suspected drink driving. The regulatory impact analysis on this proposed change was based on the figure of 758 fixed penalty notices. Can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (5 Apr 2017)

Brendan Griffin: The point had been made that there was a 50% increase in the number of fixed penalty notices in 2016 in respect of the 51 mg to 80 mg category but that is not the case.