Daly hits out over penalty points ‘cover-up’

Independent TD Clare Daly has launched a scathing attack on the Taoiseach, the minister for justice and the Garda commissioner claiming they “covered up” serious abuses in the penalty points system which were exposed yesterday by the Comptroller & Auditor General.

The watchdog’s damning report highlighted “significant weaknesses ” in the operation of the fixed charge notice system, revealing there were 42,700 offences in the years 2011 and 2012 wiped out. The report also found there were “no controls” to restrict gardaí who routinely wiped out points in relation to cases outside their district.

The report also found proper records were not being kept, summonses were not being served and notices were going missing.