Written answers
Tuesday, 23 May 2006
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Road Traffic Offences
9:00 pm
Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 410: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of motorcyclists on provisional licences summoned and convicted for carrying pillion passengers in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19228/06]
Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that the numbers of motorcyclists on provisional licences who have been summoned and convicted for carrying passengers in the past three years are set out in the following table:
| Year | Charges/Summonses | Convictions |
| 2005 | 54 | 9* |
| 2004 | 46 | 20 |
| 2003 | 46 | 20 |
| *An increase in this figure is anticipated during 2006 as proceedings for these offences come before the Courts. |
Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 411: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of motorists summoned and convicted in 2003, 2004 and 2005 for failure to have a valid driving licence on their person when requested to produce their licence by members of the Garda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19229/06]
Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that the numbers of prosecutions and convictions for not having a valid driving licence on their person when asked to produce it by a member of the Garda Síochána in 2003, 2004 and 2005 are set out in the following table:
| Year | Charges/Summonses | Convictions |
| 2005 | 6,985 | 588* |
| 2004 | 4,826 | 920 |
| 2003 | 1,870 | 397 |
| *An increase in this figure is anticipated during 2006 as proceedings for these offences come before the Courts. |
Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 412: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of drivers summoned and convicted in each of the past three years for driving unaccompanied on any category of C or D licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19230/06]
Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that statistics are not compiled in such a way as to distinguish between categories of licence holders that were summoned for driving unaccompanied. No distinction is made in law between the offence of driving unaccompanied and not having a driving licence. By driving unaccompanied in contravention of the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999, the driver is in effect driving without a licence.
The following table sets out the number of prosecutions and convictions for no driving licence in the past three years:
| Year | Charges/Summonses | Convictions** |
| 2005 | 26,073 | 3,474* |
| 2004 | 24,244 | 5,525 |
| 2003 | 26,066 | 6,808 |
| *An increase in convictions for offences committed in 2005 is anticipated during 2006 as proceedings come before the courts. | ||
| **Many motorists fail to produce their driving licence within ten days in a Garda station nominated by them at the time they are stopped and as a result are subsequently prosecuted. On the date of the court case the driving licence is produced in the majority of cases and no conviction ensues. |
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