Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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241. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe for motor insurers to be granted access to information on his Department’s driver file database on disqualified drivers and verify the driver number of a driver on the entry, under the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023; if motor insurance brokers will also be granted access to this information under the Act; if the information will be provided in real time to motor insurers directly from his Department; if so, if there will be a cost to access this information incurred by the insurer concerned; the reason for the delay in commencing this piece of legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55382/23]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Insurer access to the Department of Transport's National Driver and Vehicle File (NVDF), to allow verification of the number of penalty points endorsed on a licence, is provided under Section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 2014.

The 2014 Act was amended by the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 to, among other things, extend access to endorsement details to include disqualifications and to allow access by intermediaries who have specific sanction from a vehicle insurer to enter into contracts on their behalf. Data will be available in real time and there will be no cost associated with access.

The relevant section of the 2023 Act has not yet been commenced, as my officials are working with insurance industry representatives to ensure the necessary systems are in place to provide the extended access. Once this is done, the provision will be commenced.