Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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195. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the An Garda Síochána automatic number plate recognition and the motor third party liability project which will enhance the ability of An Garda Síochána to identify and apprehend uninsured drivers; when the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 which relates to this project will be enacted; the length of time after the enactment of the legislation it will take for the measures relating to the project to take effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9637/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been pursuing, with the insurance industry, the development of a database which will enable An Garda Síochána to better identify uninsured driving. Phase 1 of this project, covering approximately 92% of policies, is substantially complete, with work underway on Phases 2 and 3. This is a major IT project, with substantial costs across insurance companies, and it will take a number of years to fully implement. Essential legislation to enable completion of the project will be introduced as part of the forthcoming Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021.

The Bill completed second stage in Dáil Éireann on 18 November. It is already a wide-ranging Bill and a number of amendments will be brought forward at Committee Stage. These will deal with a range of measures, including driver licence revocation and introduction of active travel infrastructure on a trial basis, as well some of the matters already addressed in the Bill.

The Oireachtas Committee on Transport will determine when it will hold Committee Stage for the Bill and subsequent stages will depend on scheduling in the Dáil and Seanad.

As with most legislation, once the Bill is passed there will be a phased commencement. I will engage with stakeholders to ensure that the measures related to the MTPL database will be brought into effect as quickly as possible.