The acting Garda Commissioner has announced an array of changes to the vehicle Penalty Points system. Same comes in the wake of a report from the Garda Inspectorate examining the force’s current operations.
Top-ranking Gardaí in district police stations around Ireland have now officially lost their previous powers to delete penalty points incurred by drivers of motorised vehicles, under this new range of reforms contained in this latest review.
The acting Garda Commissioner M/s Noirin O’Sullivan, has now officially transferred this power to the Central Fixed Charge Processing Office here in Thurles, Co Tipperary. M/s O’Sullivan has stated that these measures demonstrate the force’s commitment to improving the effectiveness and transparency of the penalty points system.
Persons who believe their penalty points should be legally removed will now have to apply directly to the Thurles office, using a new cancellation form, latter to be made available on the Garda website.
The change follows allegations of corruption within the Penalty Points system and will also see more regular audits of how the system is managed into the future. Mr Robert Olson, Chief Inspector of the Garda Siochána Inspectorate, has stated that all the information given to the Garda Inspectorate from Sergeant Maurice McCabe; regarding the cancellation of Penalty Points, was found to be credible.
Whether more staff will now be provided to carry out this new proposed function is as yet uncertain.
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