Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 446: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the fact that only 19 people have been disqualified from driving for attaining the maximum number of penalty points; his further views on whether this is a reasonable reflection of the level of driving offences being committed on roads here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6331/06]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there appears to be a situation arising whereby drivers who have attained the maximum number of penalty points are not being disqualified from driving; the measures which will be put in place to ensure this situation will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6332/06]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of people with 12 penalty points who have physically submitted their licence for endorsement by the licensing authority; and if such persons were off the road for the required six month period. [6325/06]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 451: 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 cooperation between the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and An Garda Síochána PULSE system concerning same. [6326/06]

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Transport the way in which penalty points and endorsements are noted on current driving licences; the procedures which takes place with An Garda Síochána PULSE system and the national driving file concerning same; the number of people in Counties Sligo and Leitrim who have penalty points; the number of points and the offences relating to same; the number 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [6383/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 446, 447, 450, 451 and 456 together.

I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 354 on 7 February 2006.

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 Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has advised that at 17 February 2006, 21 licence holders had accumulated 12 points, 16 of whom were disqualified at that date and five of whom have been notified that they will be disqualified with effect from 28 days after the date of the notice that they had accumulated 12 points. In addition, there are 28 drivers whose disqualification period of six months has expired and who are no longer disqualified.

Any driver who accumulates 12 points is disqualified for a period of six months under section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 2002 and is directed, under section 5 of that Act to surrender his or her licence to the licensing authority that granted the licence. There is no information available on the drivers who have surrendered their licences to licensing authorities. The matter of cooperation between the Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government, which holds and administers the national driving file and the Garda Síochána PULSE system is a matter for that Department and the Garda Síochána.

The following tables show the number of people with Sligo and Leitrim driver numbers who have penalty points on 31 January 2006 and the offences to which they relate.