Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Transport his most recent estimate of the number of vehicles without motor insurance on the road here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26047/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The number of drivers without motor insurance is estimated by the insurance industry to be in the range of one hundred thousand drivers. This is calculated by taking the number of registered vehicles from the National Vehicle and Driver File maintained by the Vehicle Registration Unit and subtracting the number of exempted vehicles, e.g., State vehicles. The resulting figure is compared to the number of policies in force. An allowance is also made for fleet insurance where a number of vehicles are insured on a single policy.

Several steps have been taken in recent years to reduce the level of uninsured driving. The Garda Traffic Corps has been substantially expanded to improve compliance with all road traffic legislation including motor insurance requirements. Legislation has also been put in place to extend the powers of the Gardaí to permit the seizure of all uninsured vehicles. In addition, since the introduction of the Penalty Points system, 6,539 persons have received penalty points for uninsured driving up to the end of September 2007. It is also planned under the recently published Road Safety Strategy 2007 — 2012 to establish a system to ensure current insurance details for all drivers can be accessed in real time by the Gardaí to facilitate enforcement.