Cullen rolls out 31 penalty points offences

THE number of offences that attract penalty points will be increased from four to 35 as part of a renewed Government effort to reduce the number of deaths on Irish roads.

The surprise announcement of the expansion of the points system was made by Transport Minister Martin Cullen yesterday.

Thirty-one new offences liable to penalty points will be announced tomorrow and the minister pledged that the Garda Síochána would be ready to put the system in place by April 1.