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Emergency legislation may be needed to close penalty points loophole
Thousands of points could be cancelled.
Updated: 5.30pm
TRANSPORT MINISTER PASCHAL Donohoe has said that emergency legislation may be introduced next week to deal with a loophole in the penalty points system.
Donohoe made the admission to the Oireachtas Transport Committee this afternoon.
In a statement released earlier today, Donohoe said last week’s discovery of a technical issue “raises the possibility of a difficulty with some penalty points that have been issued”.
He said that the Department has requested the advice of the Attorney General’s Office to amend the legislation, if required, to deal with this issue.
That advice will be available later in the week. In a bid to avoid any situation which could serve to identify a potential loophole which could be exploited in respect of road safety, I will not be making any further comment on the matter.
He added: “I am confident that if there is a problem, it will be resolved urgently.”
The issue could affect penalty points given to drivers since August, the Irish Independent says.
Minister Brendan Howlin was asked about the news this morning, and said “whatever the Minister for Transport requires to amend the law to make it robust will happen”.
Additional reporting by Órla Ryan
Originally published: 9.38am
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