Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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104. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current status of the criminal justice (community sanctions) Bill, which the Government approved the drafting of in early February 2014; and the extent to which the provisions of the Bill will apply to drivers charged with road traffic offences, especially those which incur penalty points. [12199/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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In February 2014, the Government approved the drafting of a Criminal Justice (Community Sanctions) Bill to replace the Probation of Offenders Act 1907 with modern provisions dealing with community sanctions and the role of the Probation Service in the criminal justice system.

The General Scheme of the Bill was the subject of pre-legislative consideration by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, which published its Report on the General Scheme on 10 July 2014. The Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.

Issues relating to the application of the proposed legislation to penalty point offences under the Road Traffic Acts are being examined by my officials in consultation with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. My intention is that the mandatory application of penalty points for such offences will not be affected by the new community sanctions legislation.