Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will re-examine the review on penalty points regarding motor cyclists being treated like learner/novices road users and will be subject to double penalty points in view of the fact that this appears to be direct discrimination against motor cyclist and is not warranted, in fact motorcyclist casualties are been falling faster than any other mode expect cyclist in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30105/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Review of the Irish Penalty Points System, which I recently published, recommends that, in order to effect a targeted reduction in the number of motor cyclist road fatalities, further research into specific penalties for motor cyclists may be merited. The Review is currently with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications. Once I have received the Committee's input I will consider the adjustment of penalty points further.

Motor cyclists represent a disproportionate number of road fatalities compared to the number of motor cycles registered. While the trend is continuing downwards, in 2010 motor cyclists were the third highest category of road user fatalities at 17, behind car users with 130 road fatalities and pedestrians with 44 road fatalities. To date, in 2012, 7 motor cyclists and 3 pillion passengers have been killed on Irish roads. According to published OECD figures, a motor cyclist is two to three times more likely to be killed in Ireland than in other European countries. In terms of fatality rates per 10,000 registered motorcycles , Ireland was found to have the second highest rate amongst the twenty countries compared.