MINISTERS ‘GETTING CAR FINES QUASHED’
Garda drivers given exemptions
FINES for traffic offences involving ministerial cars are being quashed regularly, according to a Fine Gael TD and former cabinet member.
Michael Ring said he was aware of government ministers getting their Garda drivers to apply for fixed charge notices to be cancelled in the past 12 months.
He said these same ministers had “lectured the public” about road safety.
The Mayo TD criticised Justice Minister Helen Mcentee for failing to disclose in response to a parliamentary question the number of ministers who had speeding penalty points quashed.
She did admit that Garda drivers assigned to government ministers can apply for fixed charge notices to be cancelled where they were using the vehicle in the course of their duties. However, Ms Mcentee said she was unable to provide details of penalties because applications for these to be quashed were “predominantly paperbased” and would require a significant “trawl”. She said this would require “a significant amount of time and resources” and that would negatively impact the work of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau.
Mr Ring suggested the reason the minister was “hiding” records regarding the cancellation of speeding tickets was that “there are so many of them”.
He continued: “There are only 15 senior ministers who have drivers, and that’s not a big job to keep those records. We should be told the truth.”
Mr Ring said members of Cabinet had been “going on” about speed limits, road deaths, and the need to slow down.
He added: “The rules have to be the same for everyone.
“They cannot be lecturing the general public when ministers and Garda drivers seem to be exempt from the law. That cannot be. The law has to be there for everyone.”
In response to his parliamentary question, Ms Mcentee said all ministerial cars are registered to the Garda and fixed charge notices are therefore issued to the fleet manager where a vehicle is detected by a speed camera.
Garda members can apply for an exemption under the Road Traffic Act if they were using the vehicle in the course of their duties at the time of the offence.
Garda drivers seem to be exempt from the law. That cannot be. The law has to be there for everyone