Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which the introduction of penalty points has reduced the number of road traffic accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16565/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The operation of the penalty points system which commenced with effect from 31 October 2002 in respect of speeding offences 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 that date.

When a driver accumulates 12 penalty points he or she is automatically disqualified for a period of six months under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 2002. Since its introduction over 300,000 drivers have incurred penalty points and 49 were disqualified.

The number of deaths fell to a 40 year low when penalty points were first introduced. It has been estimated that, in the first six months after the introduction of penalty points, approximately 70 lives were saved and over 300 injuries were prevented. It is clear that the public responded and slowed down and that the penalty point system made a positive contribution to road safety. Unfortunately the initial improvement in driver behaviour was not sustained.

Hence, my extension of the penalty point system on 3 April 2006 to a further 31 offences with a continued focus on driver behaviour and other key safety issues such as dangerous overtaking. The majority of the new penalty point offences are now administered under a fixed charge system. New Garda Síochána IT systems to process the penalty point system are now in place.

Enforcement is a vital part of compliance with road traffic law and responsibility for enforcement lies with the Gardai. Preliminary figures released by the Gardai for the first two weeks in April indicate that the new system is being enforced. 3,568 penalty point notices issued between 3 April and 12 April 2006. Of those 1,541 notices related to the new offences introduced on 3 April.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 330: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of drivers to date who have incurred penalty points; the number who have to date exceeded the limit and who are thereby liable to loss of licence or other restrictions; the number of drivers with maximum penalty points who have been involved in accidents, fatal or otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16567/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has advised that at 28 April 2006, 319,049 drivers have incurred penalty points. Of these 62 licence holders had accumulated 12 points, 20 of whom were disqualified at that date and 3 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 36 drivers whose disqualification period of 6 months has expired and who are no longer disqualified. The operation of the disqualification has been interrupted in the case of three drivers. This occurs under section 6 of the Road Traffic Act 2002 where a person is disqualified by a Court for another offence or ceases to hold a licence. There is no information available in relation to the number of drivers with maximum points who have been involved in accidents.