Garda penalty points still being wiped out, claims TD

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has been urged to open up a fresh investigation into the garda penalty points crisis, after Dáil claims that officers are still having points illegally wiped out 18 months after the scandal emerged.

Sinn Féin justice spokesman Pádraig MacLochlainn made the claim during the Policing Authority Bill debate last night, saying a garda superintendent and others are using a rarely stated rule to cancel points on their private cars.

Speaking under Dáil privilege, the TD said garda members have told him that, under an existing “statutory exemption emergency vehicles” rule, gardaí can have penalty points wiped from their work and personal cars. The rule is limited to officers chasing suspects.

However, Mr MacLochlainn said dubious cases have been wiped out as recently as this summer, saying Ms Fitzgerald must “ask the garda inspectorate to immediately review all penalty points removed this year under this exemption”.

Ms Fitzgerald last night told Mr MacLochlainn: “If you have evidence somebody is abusing the system, I would like that evidence.”