Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 608: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide figures for the enforcement of regulations in respect of the compulsory fitting of speed limitation devices on buses over 10,000 kg and heavy goods vehicles over 12,000 kg, particularly the number of prosecutions for violations of these regulations recorded each year from 2003 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10212/06]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 616: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of goods vehicle drivers detected by the Garda Síochána to be in breach of the European Communities (Installation and Use of Speed Limitation Devices in Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005 to date; the number of prosecutions and convictions following on from same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10267/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 608 and 616 together.

The Garda authorities inform me that figures are not compiled in such a way as to distinguish between proceedings commenced for violations of the regulations in respect of the fitting of speed limitation devices on buses over 10,000 kg and heavy goods vehicles over 12,000 kg. However, the numbers of cases in which proceedings commenced for the offences of speed limitation devices not conforming and speed limitation devices not in use in each of the years 2002 to 2006 are set out in the following table.

I am also informed that the European Communities (Installation and Use of Speed Limitation Devices in Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2005 came into force on 23 December 2005. Breaches of these regulations are dealt with as part of general law enforcement by the Garda Síochána and are also targeted by multi-agency checkpoints carried out by the Garda Síochána in conjunction with the Department of Transport, the Health and Safety Authority and the Revenue Commissioners.

Statistics are not compiled in such a way as to distinguish between prosecutions initiated in accordance with this legislation and with the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 1993. The amount of time it would take to compile such information would entail the disproportionate use of Garda time and resources and could not be justified.