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Dáil
‹ Questions on Promised Legislation

Driving disqualification enforcement

Summary

Deputy Willie O'Dea asked whether forthcoming transport legislation would address the low rate of drivers surrendering licences after disqualification. The Taoiseach said it was mainly an enforcement issue, not a legislative one, and said Garda enforcement and roadside equipment were the real need.

As my colleague, Deputy Troy, outlined, a number of outstanding items of legislation in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport are awaiting consideration. Will any of those items of legislation include a provision to deal with the situation whereby only slightly more than 10% of those who have been disqualified from driving hand in their driving licence, despite having been ordered by the court to do so? Only a handful - I believe it is fewer than ten - have been prosecuted.

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Only two have been.

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Will the Taoiseach ensure that the Minister, Deputy Ross, will include a provision in one of the forthcoming items of transport legislation to deal with this scandalous situation? It would certainly be more relevant than some of the legislation he has forced the Government to put through recently.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I will have to check that for the Deputy. I do not believe that is a legislative issue. If I recall correctly, we passed legislation, either during my time or that of the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, requiring people to bring their licences to court so that they could be taken off them. This is a problem around enforcement. What is required is better enforcement by the Garda, and it is being given the equipment it needs so that gardaí at the roadside know, when they stop a car, that the person no longer has a licence to drive.

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