Feargal Quinn (Independent)

An event occurred yesterday which deserves attention, that is, the swapping of forces personnel among the PSNI and the Garda Síochána. There were two areas in which it happened. Superintendents are now working both in Belfast and Dublin in plain clothes. We should recognise this as a very worthy step, particularly in light of a point made in the House some time ago but which we have not heard recently, namely, that penalty points issued in Northern Ireland do not apply in the rest of the United Kingdom and that penalty points issued in the Republic do not apply in Northern Ireland. The Minister should be able to tell us the degree of co-operation between the two traffic corps. We brought this matter to his attention a year ago and he said he would look into it, but we have not heard from him since. It seems so logical and sensible that there should be an all-Ireland penalty points system if we are to curb, in some form or another, the horrific deaths that are occurring on the roads.