Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in relation to his recent announcement to expand the number of penalty point offences in operation in 2006, his officials have consulted with the Garda Síochána in relation to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36013/05]

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Transport the new penalty point offences he intends to implement in 2006; if he has set out deadlines for the implementation of each of the remaining 65 penalty point offences, as yet unimplemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36005/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Transport when the extension of penalty point categories with representatives of the Garda Síochána were last formally discussed; and if he has satisfied himself with the level of cross-Departmental co-operation on this issue. [35901/05]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Transport the secondary legislation, apart from that associated with penalty point categories, that he plans to proceed with once the fixed charge processing system is fully operational. [35895/05]

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Transport the proposed timescale for the addition of the remaining 65 offences to the penalty points scheme. [35913/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 50, 59, 61 and 77 together.

The operation of the penalty points system commenced with effect from 31 October 2002 in respect of speeding offences and has subsequently been 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 over 278,700 drivers have incurred penalty points.

Extensive ongoing consultation is taking place between my Department, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Courts Service and the Garda Síochána, in order to finalise draft regulations and a commencement order for the extension of the fixed charge and the penalty point systems respectively. A meeting of all the agencies involved took place on 17 November.

The extension of the penalty point system to other offences under the Road Traffic Acts will be progressively commenced once the appropriate Garda Síochána IT processing system is fully operational and related administrative supports are in place. The delivery of those measures is a matter for the Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform respectively.

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Síochána have indicated to my officials that the systems in question will be operational by April next year. I have asked my officials to continue liaising with their colleagues and those agencies, to seek to advance the date of next April if at all possible.

The majority of penalty point offences will also attract fixed charges. Therefore, in addition to the making of orders to facilitate the application of penalty points to offences from a particular commencement date, regulations to extend the operation of the fixed charge system to relevant penalty point offences will also be made. Those regulations will also facilitate the application of the fixed charge system to all of the offences that are currently the subject of the on the spot fine system.