Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 446: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of categories of penalty points that are operational; the penalty points categories that are not operational; the target date for the introduction of each of these penalty points categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23543/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Road Traffic Act, 2002, which is the legislative basis for the system of penalty points, sets out an extensive list of offences, which may attract penalty points under the Act.

The focus of the roll-out of the penalty points system from 2002 to date is on offences that relate primarily to the behaviour of drivers. In the first Schedule to the 2002 Act, as amended in the Road Traffic Acts of 2004 and 2006, the offences at reference numbers 7 to 9, 11 to 15 and 17 to 18 as per Part 1, the offences at reference numbers 15 to 16 as per Part 2, the offences at reference numbers 1 to 25 as per Part 3 are operational.

The remaining offences to which the penalty point system may be applied relate primarily to offences relating to vehicles and their use, lighting of vehicles and the licensing of drivers. The offences concerned are those listed at reference numbers 1 to 6, 10 and 16 as per Part 1, the offences at reference numbers 1 to 14 as per Part 2, the offences at reference numbers 1 to 6 as per Part 3, the offence at reference number 1 as per Part 5, the offence at reference number 1 as per Part 6, the offences at reference numbers 1 to 6 as per Part 7 and the offence at reference number 1 as per Part 8, of the First Schedule.

The total number of offences to which the penalty point system now applies is 36. The progressive extension of the penalty point system will continue to be pursued but I have no definitive timeframe in mind at this point in relation to the remaining offences.