Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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1520. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if An Garda Síochána is capturing the driver licence numbers at point of detection and recording the driver number on summonses; if the Courts Service is accepting this data and inputting the information on the disqualification orders for recording onto the NVDF database; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45227/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Road safety is a shared responsibility. The whole of Government response is led by the Department of Transport and is taken very seriously across Government.

The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, this includes all operational policing matters.

An Garda Síochána plays a vital role in enforcing road traffic law and in making our roads safer for all road users, including vulnerable road users.

Road traffic laws are enforced by Gardaí assigned to Roads Policing and as part of the day-to-day duties of uniformed Gardaí nationwide. This includes a programme of high-visibility road safety and enforcement operations carried out in partnership with other state agencies.

A driver number is a personal identifier of a driver record on the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) and stays with an individual for life regardless of how many physical licences that individual has been issued. It is separate to the serial number of the physical driver licence that changes when a driver licence has been renewed or replaced.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that where a member of An Garda Síochána detects a road traffic offence which can be dealt with by way of Fixed Charge Notice (FCN), the Garda will require the driver concerned to produce their drivers licence and note the details of same. The drivers licence can also be verified by the member by utilising their mobility device.

When issuing an FCN, the member inputs the driver number of the driver in question which is recorded within the Fixed Charge Processing System (FCPS). In circumstances where an FCN remains unpaid, An Garda Síochána electronically forward details of the FCN to the Courts Service as part of an application for a summons to be issued. The driver number, as recorded by the detecting member when creating the FCN, is forwarded to the Courts Service as part of this electronic application and the Courts System is then updated accordingly.

I am advised by the Courts that the driver number is not included on the summons when it is sent to An Garda Síochána for service on the person. If the driver number is received from An Garda Síochána when the summons is applied for it is recorded on the Courts System but does not appear on the summons when printed.

I am further advised by the Courts Service that if a manual application (SA1) is handed to the Court Office and the Driver Number is recorded on the application, then the Courts Service records the driver number on their case management system. Since the introduction of e-charge sheets, again if the driver number is recorded on the Pulse system, then it will transfer to the Courts System.

Furthermore, the Courts Service has advised that if a person is disqualified in court or receives a conviction on a penalty offence, the driver number is sent to the RSA/NDLS.