Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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283. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if all motor insurers and brokers will have access to his Departments driver file database from 31 March 2025, to validate driver numbers collected by them under the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023; if the motor insurers will also have access to real-time data on driver disqualifications from 31 March 2025; the timeframe for this real-time data to be moved to the Irish Motor Insurance Database and shared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10791/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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All motor insurers, brokers and intermediaries with specific sanction from motor insurers now have access to my Department’s National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) to validate driver numbers collected by them. Data sharing agreements are in place with all the relevant parties and the technical solution is operational. Motor insurers will not have access to real-time data on driver disqualifications from 31 March 2025 as this will require IT changes both in my Department and in the many insurer and broker IT platforms.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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284. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the procedures involved for insurers and intermediaries acting on their behalf, to verify driver numbers and disqualifications against the national vehicle and driver file held by his Department, for renewals, quotes and new policies; if a request must be made in writing by insurers for access to his driver file records; the protocols involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10792/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The process to apply for access to the Department of Transport's National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) driver number validation service is set out in the data sharing agreement, written by my Department and agreed with the insurance industry. Almost 30 insurers and intermediaries acting on their behalf have already successfully applied and signed the data sharing agreement. To be successful an insurer must be registered with the Central Bank of Ireland and the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland. Intermediaries must provide proof of specific sanction from the relevant insurer.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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285. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe for Gardaí to have access to the Irish Motor Insurance database using Garda mobility devices, to real-time data on the status of a driver’s licence, including disqualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10793/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Following the enactment of the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023, the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID) has been established. By the end of 2024, on a daily basis An Garda Síochána now receive updated information on over 3.4 million vehicles and 5.6 million named drivers that are covered by over 3 million motor insurance policies. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI), who manage the IMID, have reported to me that within the space of 12 months, the IMID information has allowed the Gardaí to issue 26,904 charges and summons for uninsured driving (up 23% on 2023) and seize 18,676 vehicles that were being driven without insurance (up 67%).

Once data are made available, it is a matter for An Garda Síochána to decide on the timing and deployment of information via mobility devices or other mechanisms to their frontline members.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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286. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe in law for commercial-company vehicle owners to provide their motor insurer with the driver number of all insured on a policy in order to renew their insurance or take out a new policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10794/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023, it will be mandatory from 31 March of this year to provide the relevant driver number or numbers when taking out or renewing a motor insurance policy. This requirement applies to all vehicle classes, in all circumstances, from that date.

Both I and my predecessor as Minister for Transport have received a number of requests from commercial fleet owners and their industry representatives that this requirement be pushed back. As it is now nearly two years since this legislation was passed by these Houses, it is the view of my Department that the industry has had sufficient time to prepare for the mandatory capture of driver numbers and, having already pushed back commencement from the originally agreed date of December 2024 until the end of March, I am not in a position to delay its introduction any further.