Motorists committing driving offences on the other side of the Border could soon be prosecuted in their own jurisdiction.
Proposals discussed at a North/South Ministerial Council meeting on transport in Belfast yesterday approved a programme for enhancing cross-Border co-operation on road safety. Officials will meet in the new year to draw up detailed arrangements and timescales for the implementation of the programme. One of its main points will be the harmonisation of penalty measures for traffic offences. The meeting, the first on transport issues, was co-chaired by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke; the Environment Minister, Mr Dempsey; the North's First and Deputy First Ministers, Mr David Trimble and Mr Seamus Mallon; and the Northern Environment Minister, Mr Sam Foster.
According to Mr Dempsey, a system of penalty points, which has been in operation in the North for several years, will be introduced as part of the Republic's Road Traffic Act.
Ministers said they were exploring the scope for mutual recognition and enforcement of driving disqualifications between both jurisdictions, to "ensure that no driver regarded the Border as providing the opportunity to escape their responsibilities".
Referring to a recent study on traffic offences, Mr Mallon said it was "appalling and devastating" that the rate of accidents in Border regions was nine times higher than normal. It was essential to harmonise disqualification provisions both between Northern Ireland and the Republic and the North and Britain, he insisted.
"Drivers on both sides seem to think that they are on holiday from regulations as soon as they cross the Border. I believe this is an area in which co-operation could actually save lives," Mr Dempsey added.
The Ministers also pledged to continue their co-operation on road safety campaigns such as the most recent "Shame" campaign, which is currently broadcast on both sides of the Border, as well as on educational initiatives on road safety.
Other issues discussed included a joint approach to railway safety standards, integrated ticketing and closer co-operation of the two jurisdictions' railway inspectorates.
The North/South Ministerial Council meeting on transport was held in parallel with one by the British-Irish Council, which included additional participants from England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel islands. During what council members described as a "lively discussion", issues such as access to airports, take-off slots from the main London airports and peripheral road and rail links were debated.
It was comforting to hear that other regions shared the North's concerns on many of the issues, Mr Mallon said. "In Northern Ireland we often think that we invented the world's problems. It's good to see that we share them with others and that we are now working with them to find common solutions."
Ministers attending yesterday's North/South Ministerial Council meeting agreed the appointments to the board of directors of the new all-Ireland tourism agency, Tourism Ireland Ltd.
The chairman will be Mr Andrew Coppel, the chief executive of Queens Moat Houses plc, the vice-chairwoman is Ms Ann Riordan, marketing manager of Microsoft Ireland.
The other 10 board members are: Mr Roy Bailie, chairman of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board; Mr John Dully, chief executive of Bord Failte; Mr Dennis Galway, director of Larne Harbour Ltd and of P&O's Irish Sea operations; Mr Howard Hastings, managing director of the Hastings Hotel Group; Mr Tony Kelly, marketing director of Irish Ferries Ltd; Mr David McAuley, acting chief executive of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board; Mr Felix Mooney, chief executive of the Mooney Group; Mr Redmond O'Donoghue, chairman of Bord Failte; Mr John Power, chief executive of the Irish Hotels Federation; and Mr Charles Sinnott, owner of Sinnott Hotels.