Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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136. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Leaders' Questions on 19 October 2016, Parliamentary Questions Nos. 74 of 2 November 2016 and 121 of 15 November 2016 (details supplied), if the report is available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18043/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that Section 33 of the Road Traffic Act 2016 amends section 22 of the 2002 Road Traffic Act to ensure that drivers convicted in court produce their driving licence so penalty points can be recorded on the driver file. The 2016 Act provides for a new requirement for the presiding judge to ask a driver convicted in court for a driving offence to produce his/her licence to the court. The court will then record the licence details, or the fact that it was not produced, with failure to produce a licence an offence. This provision will tighten up existing procedures to enable penalty points to be matched to driving licence records following conviction in court. I am informed by my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, that Section 33 of the Act of 2016 will be commenced on 13 April 2017.

I can confirm that the report referenced by the Deputy was received in November 2016. The issue was the subject of discussions involving the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Courts Service, An Garda Síochána and the Director of Public Prosecutions and legal advice was obtained in relation to the wording of the relevant summonses, which will reflect the revised legislative position following the commencement of Section 33 of the Act of 2016.