Penalty points to proceed despite AGSI view

The Department of Transport has said it is "surprised" at the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors "negative approach" to next week's introduction of the penalty points system for drivers.

The Department said the launch of the scheme would go ahead as planned, next week.

This is the third time in recent weeks that the Department and the association have clashed over road safety policy.

In September the association issued a statement accusing the Government of using Garda Traffic Units as "a cash generator" when they "should be used as a means of improving bad road behaviour".

The association has also recently criticised proposals for a separate traffic police force, pointing out that the State already has Garda traffic units which only require adequate resources.

This week the association severely criticised a proposed "manual" penalty points system for speeding drivers as "wasteful of Garda resources," and "excessively bureaucratic' and "unworkable".

According to the association president, Mr Joe Dirwan, "not only is the proposed new system a manual one in this technological age, it involves a vast paper trail and the inevitable result is that it will tie up even more gardaí, for far longer, in paperwork when they should be out offering a service to the public in tackling public order offences and dangerous driving."

He also said his association felt the new system could be successfully challenged in the courts.

However, it is understood the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, is impatient with the Garda's level of enthusiasm for change.

While not commenting on the row directly, his Department has said just 13 extra gardaí would be needed to operate the penalty points system and that the computerised version would be introduced in any event next year.

The Department pointed out that the primary focus of the initiative "is to reduce speeding and increase safety on the roads".

The Department acknowledged that the introduction of penalty points would put some additional pressure on the gardaí but stressed that it was imperative to introduce the system for speeding without delay in order to address the high risk to road users - particularly at this time of year.

The Department added that the manual penalty points system was designed and developed following regular and detailed consultation with the Garda authorities.

The Garda authorities were fully aware and supportive of the procedures that were now in place to allow the penalty points system to come into operation from Thursday next, said a spokesman.

Following the consultations, the Department of Transport has hired a data inputting company to handle most of the administrative work involved in an attempt to minimise the burden placed on gardaí.

The penalty points system will be fully computerised by the second half of 2003, at which stage a further 61 offences that carry penalty points will be added.

The scheme is to be launched by Mr Brennan on Tuesday next.