Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 354: To ask the Minister for Transport the facilities which are in place for the physical application of penalty points on current driving licences; the degree of co-operation between the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Garda Síochána PULSE system concerning same; the number of people who are disqualified from driving due to having 12 penalty points; if there are motorists who have 12 penalty points but are not disqualified; and if so, the reasons therefor. [3819/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with the provisions of section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 2002, penalty points are endorsed on the entry in the licence record relating to the person and not on the driving licence.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, on receipt of notifications from the Garda Síochána or the Courts Service that a fixed charge has been paid, or a person has been convicted of a penalty point offence, endorses the licence record in the national driver file with the appropriate number of penalty points and issues a notification to the person concerned.

The matter of co-operation between the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, who hold and administer the national driving file and the Garda Síochana PULSE system is a matter for that Department and the Garda Síochána.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has advised that at 31 December 2005, 19 licence holders had accumulated 12 points. The accumulation of 12 points results in automatic disqualification for a period of six months.