Motor tax may be refused to fine defaulters

An expert review group will consider whether people who do not pay traffic fines should be refused renewal of their motor-tax certificates. This is one of a number of options under discussion to improve motorist behaviour and create a more efficient fines payment system.

Other options include paying fines by instalments, through post offices or by credit card, and appointing a single agency, perhaps from the private sector, to collect fines on a fee basis. The group includes representatives from the Departments of Justice and Environment, the Courts Service and the Garda.

The general secretary of the Department of Justice, Mr Tim Dalton, told the Dail Public Accounts Committee that the downside of a system such as non-renewal of motor-tax certificates was people driving untaxed vehicles. He said an important point in dealing with payment of fines was human nature and human behaviour. No matter how efficient a system was there would always be persistent evaders. The Public Accounts Committee was discussing the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report which sharply criticised the system of fines collection. The chairman, Mr Michael Finucane, demanded that representatives of the Departments of Justice and the Environment, the Garda and the Courts Service return in six months with comprehensive reports of the action they proposed to improve the system.

He pointed out that Mr Dalton was the secretary general of the Department of Justice in 1993 when the CAG examined the fines collection system and "we are discussing the same issues today".

Mr Dalton said that while he accepted that improvements were needed, some progress had been made since 1993. Some 84 per cent of speeding fines were paid, compared to 72 per cent in Northern Ireland, and that was "good" by any standards.

The Assistant Garda Commissioner, Mr Joe Egan, pointed out that the Garda internal computer Pulse system should be operational within a year and that would take care of the internal management systems. He supported the appointment of a collection agency. The secretary general of the Department of the Environment, Mr Jimmy Farrelly, said that since 1993 the number of offences had expanded to include those such as the non-wearing of seat belts and bald tyres. The Department of the Environment was organising a national vehicle-owner file on a computer basis which was expected to be in place by the end of the year. Until a proper integrated computer system was in place, the introduction of a penalty-points system would be inefficient.

He said that under the Road Traffic Bill motorists would have to carry their driving licences when driving.