Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress made on the mutual recognition of penalty points between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; the reason for the ongoing delay; when he will bring the full list of penalty point categories into force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24272/07]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Transport the discussions that have taken place between his Department and the relevant Department in Northern Ireland regarding the introduction of a system of mutual recognition of penalty points to north and south of the Border; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22323/07]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Transport when the remaining unimplemented penalty points will be brought into force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24379/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 103 and 105 together.

The North/South Work Programme, which was agreed by the North South Ministerial Council, included a commitment to examine the mutual recognition of penalty points between the Republic of Ireland and the North. However, separate penalty point systems operate in the two jurisdictions on this island, and the system that operates in Northern Ireland differs from that applying in Great Britain.

For that reason, it was agreed that it would be more appropriate to pursue the question of mutual recognition of penalty points on the basis of the operation of the three systems and that it would also be more appropriate that it would be dealt with under the auspices of the British Irish Council (BIC). As Northern Ireland has the lead role for transport matters in the BIC, the authorities in that jurisdiction are taking the lead in considering this issue.

The development of any bilateral agreement on such mutual recognition will require consideration of complex legal questions, which will take time and may require the passage of primary legislation to support such an agreement. The terms of reference for a feasibility report have been agreed at Ministerial level and a scoping report has been commissioned by the UK Department for Transport (DfT), with our agreement and that of our Northern Ireland colleagues. The DfT's In-House Policy Consultancy is carrying out the scoping exercise. This process is at an advanced stage.

The focus of the roll-out of the penalty points system to date is on offences that relate primarily to the behaviour of drivers. This reflects the fact that 86% of all road deaths can be attributed to driver behaviour in its broadest sense. The relevant support systems must be put in place to support the extension of the penalty points system, and where applicable, the fixed charge system. Discussions are held in advance with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and other relevant agencies regarding the timing of each scheduled roll-out of new offences to ensure that the relevant interfaces are in place between the Garda Síochána and the Court Services IT systems, and the administration of the National Driving File. The progressive extension of the penalty point system will continue to be pursued.