Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 452: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to review the penalty points scheme in view of the road fatalities rate having been raised to their pre-penalty points levels; his proposals for more rigid enforcement and integration with Northern Ireland's points scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32854/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The operation of the penalty points system commenced with effect from 31 October 2002 in respect of speeding offences and was subsequently extended to apply to the offences of driving without insurance, careless driving and offences relating to the non-wearing of seat belts. Since its introduction, more than 265,100 drivers have incurred penalty points.

The introduction of penalty points coincided with a significant reduction in road deaths. While the scale of reduction in deaths realised in the months immediately following the introduction of the system has not been maintained, the number of road deaths annually over the past three years is significantly lower than the levels recorded in preceding years. In the first three years since its introduction, the number of deaths as a result of road collisions fell by 136 by comparison to the previous three years.

The extension of the system to other offences under the Road Traffic Acts will take place as soon as the relevant IT systems being developed by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda are completed. I am advised by my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, that the systems in question will be operational by April next year at the latest.

The North-South work programme, which was agreed by the North South Ministerial Council, included a commitment to examine the mutual recognition of penalty points between the Republic of Ireland and the North. However, in addition to the fact that separate penalty point systems operate in the two jurisdictions on this island, the system that operates in Northern Ireland differs from that applying in Great Britain. For that reason, it was agreed early in 2003 that it would be more appropriate to pursue the question of mutual recognition of penalty points on the basis of the operation of the three systems and that it would also be more appropriate that it would be dealt with under the auspices of the British-Irish Council. As Northern Ireland has the lead role for transport matters in the BIC, the authorities in that jurisdiction are taking the lead in considering this issue. The development of a system of mutual recognition of penalty points presents complex legal questions and will require the negotiation of a bilateral agreement between the two Governments and probably the passage of primary legislation to support such an agreement. Enforcement of road traffic legislation is a matter for the Garda Síochána.