States agree transfer of driving penalties

PENALTY points for road offences will be transferred between the Republic, the North and Britain under a system expected to be in place within five years.

Transport ministers agreed to share information about disqualified drivers between the three jurisdictions and said the three penalty point systems will be aligned by 2013.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said he would be willing to make changes to the Irish penalty point system so there would be no legal difficulties in applying points to a license issued here for an offence occurring across the border.