Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I refer to the Parliamentary Question No. 293 of 17 September 2019 and the information requested by the Deputy therein in relation to drivers arrested for driving while disqualified. The information was not available for answer on that date but I can now advise as follows.

Section 6(b) and (c) of the Road Traffic Act 2014 amends the Road Traffic Act 1961 in a number of respects.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that they do not compile statistics in such a way as to identify specific number of arrests which occur using the powers provided under section 6(b) and (c) of the 2014 Act. I am advised that to collate this information would necessitate a manual trawl of all relevant incidents recorded on PULSE, and such an undertaking would require a disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources.

However I am informed by An Garda Síochána that the following table shows the number of proceedings taken in relation to persons driving without a driving licence from 2011- 2019 (as of September 2019).

It should be noted that An Garda Síochána have confirmed that all figures provided are provisional, operational and subject to change.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, the Road Traffic Acts fall within the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross TD.

I am informed by the Courts Service that a project is underway to provide for electronic transfer of disqualification orders to the relevant agency once the time period to lodge an appeal has passed, and no appeal has been lodged. I am further informed that this project is being progressed under the oversight of the Circuit and District Courts Operations Directorate. I understand that the first phase of the project will commence testing early in the new year and will be rolled-out more generally when the testing is complete.

I am further informed that the second phase of the project will focus on the transfer of disqualification orders after appeal. I am informed that it is expected that phase 2 design work will commence during Q1 2020.

I understand that this project is being pursued by the Courts Service independently of the work ongoing in An Garda Síochána to progress the mobility project.

The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached record levels over recent years, with an allocation for 2019 of €1.76 billion, which will increase to an unprecedented €1.882 billion for 2020. Very significant capital investment is also being made, including investment of €342 million in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021.

'A Policing Service for the Future', the implementation plan for the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, includes a specific action for An Garda Síochána to acquire and commence the deployment of mobile devices for frontline policing, which will provide for a more timely, consistent and targeted approach to roadside enforcement. Implementation of this project is ongoing.