Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the powers members of the Garda have to penalise a disqualified driver when stopped at a checkpoint; if changes are being made to give gardaí more power in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5148/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed that driving while disqualified from doing so is deemed to be the same as driving without a licence. A person driving a vehicle while disqualified is committing an offence under section 38 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as amended by section 12 of the Road Traffic Act, 2006. The penalty provided for under this section is a fine of €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both. My colleague the Minister for Transport informed the House on 5 February that amendments to current legislation to permit seizure of licences by An Garda Síochána are among a number of matters being considered by his Department in the context of the preparation of a Road Traffic Bill.