Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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325. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of fixed charge notices issued to drivers for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone per Garda division in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53715/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána. I have no direct role in these matters.

The below table, comprising information provided to me by the Garda authorities, provides a yearly breakdown per Garda division of the number of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone.

* Figures for 2021 up to 31 October 2021

The above figures are based on incidents which occurred from 1 January 2018 to 31 October 2021, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the fixed charge processing system as was available on 2 November 2021 and is liable to change.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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326. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drivers that paid a fixed charge notice for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone per Garda division within the statutory payment timeframe in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53716/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána. I have no direct role in these matters.

The below table, comprising information provided to me by the Garda authorities, provides a yearly breakdown per Garda division of the number of instances in which a party paid a Fixed Charge Notice (FCN) issued for the offences of driving while holding a mobile phone.

The figures also include instances where a FCN has issued which is still within the active interval for payment or payment is being processed.

* Figures for 2021 up to 31/10/2021

The above figures are based on incidents which occurred from 1 January 2018 to 31 October 2021, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the fixed charge processing system as was available on 2 November 2021 and is liable to change.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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327. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drivers that failed to pay a fixed charge notice for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone per Garda division within the statutory payment timeframe in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53717/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes operational decisions relating to road traffic matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below sets out the number of instances, by Garda Division, in which a Fixed Charge Notice (FCN) was issued for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone and the FCN was not paid.

The above figures are based on incidents which occurred from 01 January 2018 to 31 October 2021, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the fixed charge processing system as was available on 2 November 2021 and is liable to change.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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328. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drivers that availed of the third payment option and paid a fixed charge notice for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone per Garda division in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53718/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes operational decisions relating to road traffic matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below sets out the number of instances, by Garda division, in which a Fixed Charge Notice (FCN) was issued for the offence of driving while holding a mobile phone and the FCN was not paid.

The above figures are based on incidents which occurred from 01 January 2018 to 31 October 2021, inclusive. All information contained in this report is based upon operational data from the fixed charge processing system as was available on 3 November 2021 and is liable to change.

Court proceedings are initiated where a fine is not paid within the required timeframe. A third payment option is available where the fine can be paid up to a number of days before the court date. The fine will be double the original fine.

The figures provided include all cases where a fine of €120 was paid (double the original fine amount of €60).

Figures for groups with less than 10 records have not been included.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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329. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 200 of 12 May 2021, if she will provide the most to date figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53719/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes the operation of the Fixed Charge Penalty System, which is under the remit of the Garda Fixed Charge Processing Office.

I have been advised by An Garda Síochána that no person issued with a Fixed Charge Penalty Notice (FCPN) is deemed to have 'failed' to pay the Notice once the statutory payment window has passed. Rather, a person has a right to refuse to pay the notice and take the option of Court proceedings. The reasons why a person may not pay the Notice are varied and not recorded by An Garda Síochána.

I have contacted An Garda Síochána and have been provided with the following table which shows a yearly breakdown per Garda division of the number of instances in which a Fixed Charge Notice was issued for the offences of driving while holding a mobile phone and the eventual outcome was the issuance of a summons and/or court proceedings.

Figures are based on incidents which occurred from 01/01/2018 to 31/10/2021, inclusive. All information contained in this table is based upon operational data from the FCPS system as was available on 02/11/2021 and is liable to change.

*Figures for 2021 up to 31/10/2021