Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress to date in his discussions regarding a bilateral agreement with the UK Government in having drivers banned in either jurisdiction, being banned in both jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3494/08]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will introduce legislation to ensure that all vehicles on Irish roads, both Irish and foreign registered, are subject to the same laws, regulations and penalties and that any fines or penalties accrued by a driver of a foreign registered vehicle are realised; if he will report on the proposed agreement with the UK Government on the mutual recognition of disqualified drivers; if there has been progress on the mutual recognition of penalty points between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3387/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 160 together.

All drivers are subject to road traffic law and enforcement is a matter for An Garda Síochána. The realisation of any fines or penalties imposed by the Courts is a matter for the Courts Service.

While foreign licence holders do not have an Irish driving licence record, a separate record of any penalty points incurred by them in this State is kept in the National Driver File.

The enforcement on foreign registered drivers of penalties for road traffic offences is a complex legal and administrative matter for many States, and my Department is pursuing this question at European, British/Irish and North/South levels.

We are working with the United Kingdom with the objective of having a bilateral agreement on mutual recognition of driving disqualifications in place later this year, under the framework of the relevant EU Convention.

The mutual recognition of penalty points is however a much more difficult matter which is not covered by the EU Convention. In particular it involves complex legal questions which have yet to be determined and which will require the passage of primary legislation both here and in the United Kingdom in due course. While both jurisdictions are working on this, it will be a number of years before a bilateral agreement can be put in place.

I met the U.K. Minister responsible for this area in London last week and discussed these issues with him. I intend to meet with him and the Northern Ireland Minister for road safety on a tripartite basis in the coming months to review progress.