Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
259. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether any post-implementation review has been conducted by his Department of the Road Traffic Act 2024 provisions relating to graduated penalty points; whether an impact assessment was undertaken prior to enactment regarding proportionality and licence disqualification risk; and if he will publish any such assessment. [16041/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra260. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department conducted modelling or analysis on the projected increase in licence disqualifications arising from the interaction between reduced statutory speed limits and the graduated penalty points framework; and if he will provide details of same. [16042/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra261. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether consideration has been given to introducing a lower-tier administrative margin for minor excess speeding of 1–5 km/h above the posted limit, including the option of warnings or reduced penalty points; and if he will outline the policy position of his Department on such a tier. [16043/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra262. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the policy rationale for permitting the accumulation of multiple sets of penalty points arising from a single incident under the Road Traffic Act 2024; whether any cap on cumulative points from a single roadside detection was considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16044/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra263. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has examined the road safety regimes of other EU Member States that differentiate penalty thresholds by road type, including urban, rural and motorway classifications; whether any comparative analysis was undertaken prior to introducing the current graduated system; and if he will publish any such analysis. [16045/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra265. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has examined the introduction of accredited driver awareness or rehabilitation programmes as an alternative to penalty points for minor offences; and if he will outline any proposals in this regard. [16047/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 259, 260, 261, 262, 263 and 265 together.
The Road Traffic Act 2024 does not include provisions relating to graduated penalty points. The Act did however make a number of changes to the penalty point system to increase the deterrent effect of penalty points.
Presently, a driver caught committing multiple penalty point offences on the same occasion receives one set of penalty points. The Road Traffic Act 2024 provides that, in future, drivers will receive at least two sets of points, potentially more in the event of an unsuccessful court challenge where three or more offences have been detected. The forthcoming National Vehicle and Driver File Bill, which is targeted for enactment within the first half of 2026, will provide additional legislative clarity around this issue.
The Programme for Government includes a number of commitments on road safety including in relation to a graduated penalty points system and re-education courses as part of the sanctions available for certain road traffic offences. These commitments are reaffirmed in the Phase 2 Action Plan 2025-2027 of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy. Primary action 7 of the action plan commits to develop the legislation and framework for attendance on a Speed Awareness Course being imposed a part of a sanction for certain road traffic offences It also commits to develop the legislation for graduated speeding sanctions to ensure a structured and proportionate approach to penalising speed violations based on severity and risk. My Department is progressing a new Road Traffic Bill this year which will include provisions to support these commitments.
