Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 558: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the action being taken to harmonise penalty point procedure north and south of the Border; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32311/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Officials from my Department are continuing to work with the relevant authorities in Northern Ireland towards the longer term objective of introducing a mutual recognition of penalty points for driving offences. Unlike the bilateral arrangements between the UK and Ireland, under Article 15.4 of the 1998 EU Convention on driving disqualifications, that came into operation in January 2010, there is no agreed international framework dealing with the recognition of penalty points for driving offences. Accordingly, a significant volume of work will be required, including the provision of an appropriate framework of law and international agreement.

It is intended that, initially, mutual recognition will be applied to a small number of penalty point offences.