PAC hears significant revenue lost through quashed points

The Public Accounts Committee today heard from penalty points whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe in a private, three hour meeting.

Sgt McCabe, who wore his garda uniform to the hearing, told PAC members about his concerns surrounding the quashing of penalty points through the use of garda discretion.

According to committee members, he indicated he had shared information with the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), who has highlighted the revenue lost to the State as a result of penalty points and fines being quashed.

Without going into specific details, Sgt McCabe said he had only collated information on “clusters” of people he suspected had their points quashed on numerous occasions, as much as four or five times.

He claimed this amounted to thousands of points being written off, and said the lost revenue could have bought hundreds of garda cars.

Sources said Sgt McCabe also claimed the amount of points being quashed had reduced from 2,000 a month to a “trickle” since the C&AG highlighted the issue.

Before and after the hearing Independent TD Shane Ross and Sinn Fein’s Mary-Lou McDonald asked if a transcript of the meeting could be released afterwards. PAC clerk Ted McEnery said no transcript could be published due to legal advice that Sgt McCabe had to be protected as much as possible.