Drivers who break traffic lights and overtake dangerously are to face penalty points under an extension of the system, it emerged tonight.
The roll-out of penalty points has been seriously delayed by the lack of a central computer system, with just three of the planned 69 offences in place.
Minister for Transport Martin Cullen said he had been assured that the necessary support framework would be in place by next April.
"It is my intention that the application of penalty points will be extended to a number of additional offences," he said.
He told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on small business that the emphasis would be on dangerous overtaking, failure to obey traffic lights, stop signs, and yield signs, and the crossing of centre white lines on roads by vehicles.
With the addition of the new offences, drivers will receive two penalty points for dangerous overtaking, two points for failing to observe stop signs and traffic lights and one for crossing a white line.
Currently, the only penalty point offences are speeding, driving without insurance and non-wearing of a seatbelt.
At the committee Mr Cullen said there might be a case for a limited expansion of the penalty points system or a more expansive approach.
There have been 337 people killed on the roads this year, compared to 326 for the same period last year.
"It is of course disturbing that the rate of progress in reducing the number of casualties on our roads has not been maintained at a level at least equal to that experienced in 2003," said Mr Cullen.
He said the Government would be bringing forward legislation for the privatisation of speed cameras.
The locations of the cameras will be chosen by the Gardai and the National Roads Authority and the scheme will not depend on speeding fines for its funding.
Mr Cullen said work was well advanced on the new Road Safety Authority, which will take responsibility for driver testing and some of the functions of the National Safety Council.