Ireland has asked the European Commission to bring forward plans for an integrated penalty points system across the bloc, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen said today.
Mr Cullen was speaking after it emerged the more than 42,000 drivers had escaped penalty points because they were from other jurisdictions.
Martin Cullen
On radio this afternoon, Mr Cullen said: "I have raised this . . . at European Council meeting level, I asked the Commission to pursue it. I have to say there wasn't huge enthusiasm from other countries who didn't see this as the same priority as Ireland did.
"We will keep this on the agenda until such a time as there is a system in place that integrates all of the penalty points across Europe," the Minister said.
Mr Cullen said Ireland had legislated for the EU Convention on Driving Disqualifications in 2002 but that many other countries were not co-operating.
Most of the 42,000 drivers are from Northern Ireland; others were foreign workers or holidaymakers. Motorists are liable for penalty points if caught speeding, not wearing seatbelts, not having insurance or careless driving.
Mr Cullen said gardaí try to pursue Northern Ireland drivers but it was difficult and costly as the cars were registered outside the State.
Gardaí said today the law and regulations governing road traffic issues are a matter for the Government.
The SDLP have also backed calls for the introduction of an all-Ireland traffic penalty system. Alex Attwood, the SDLP's policing spokesman, said: "All-Ireland traffic penalties are a safety imperative. Speeding offences must be prosecuted in respect of all drivers in all corners of this island. The risk to road users is too high to allow this danger to persist.
"The figures for those who avoid penalty points just because they live across the border are astonishing and worrying in equal measure. If the recently signed Justice Agreement is to measure up, this is an area where complete enforcement of criminal law across the island is crying out for agreement," he said.
Fine Gael's transport spokeswoman, Olivia Mitchell, said the "depressing" figures show the penalty points system isn't working. "If the system cannot cope with three penalty point categories, how on earth is it going to cope when the full roster of 69 are introduced?" she asked.
She said the Government should move immediately to reach an agreement with Britain to ensure driving licences from both jurisdictions would be recognised, so that motorists from the North could be given points in the Republic.
The Labour Party's Roisin Shortall called for the loophole to closed immediately.
"Due to the large number of Northern drivers on our roads, it is vital for public safety that those who hold a UK licence are subject to the same penalties as Southern motorists," she said.