Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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56. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the wording of summonses has been changed for the third payment option to allow An Garda Síochána to commence prosecutions for non-production of licences in court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26461/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system.

However, I have made enquiries with the Courts Service, who have advised me all the necessary changes to the Courts Service Criminal Case Tracking System (CCTS) to facilitate the introduction of the third payment option have been completed. The introduction of the third payment option did not require any changes to the wording of summonses.

I am further advised that Section 33 of the Road Traffic Act, 2016 which amends Section 22 of the Road Traffic Act, 2002 and provides for the presiding judge to ask a driver convicted in court for a driving offence to produce their licence to the court for recording, commenced on 13 April 2017. This amendment requires a change in the wording of summons in relation to the production of driving licenses. This change has not yet been completed but is being included with a number of other high priority changes associated with the CCTS which are now in progress and will be implemented in the next system release. A date for this release is not yet available.